Rawdy Character Analysis in Vanity Fair

Rawdy is the son of Becky and Rawdon. Although Rawdon is affectionate toward him, Becky ignores him, showing little interest in acting as a mother. He ends up living with Pitt Crawley and Lady Jane. Everyone shows a lot more interest in Rawdy, however, after Pitt Binkie dies and Rawdy becomes the presumptive heir to Pitt Crawley’s money.

Rawdy Character Timeline in Vanity Fair

The timeline below shows where the character Rawdy appears in Vanity Fair. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...them go with their new son (also named Rawdon, and sometimes called Rawdon minor or Rawdy) to Brussels. (full context)

Becky entrusts most of Rawdy’s childcare to a nurse and even leaves him in Europe for a while as she... (full context)

...succeeds in impressing the people she meets with, and so she returns to Rawdon and Rawdy to tell them that they can return to England. (full context)

...a letter to Rawdon to send to Pitt Crawley, flattering him, mentioning their new son Rawdy, and asking for 30,000 pounds. Pitt Crawley turns down the request for money but says... (full context)

All this time, Becky’s son Rawdy mostly remains in the garret. But as Lord Steyne and the older Rawdon are playing... (full context)

...she frequently sends him off duty. One day, when Rawdon is on a walk with Rawdy, Rawdon runs into an old friend, Corporal Clink, who is talking to a stranger with... (full context)

...to go, making plans for them to buy new mourning clothes. Rawdon wants to take Rawdy with them, but Becky doesn’t want to pay extra for the space to take him. (full context)

...him act kinder toward his brother, Pitt Crawley. Miss Briggs sends letters with updates from Rawdy back in London. Pitt Crawley agrees to pay for Rawdy’s education. (full context)

...the front door of his mansion as a sign of mourning. Miss Briggs sometimes brings Rawdy by the mansion while meanwhile Becky takes charge of selling off Sir Pitt’s old furniture... (full context)

...on. Despite their dwindling money, Becky still buys extravagant gifts, like a velvet coat for Rawdy, even though he will soon outgrow it. As Rawdy grows up, he notices that Becky... (full context)

...Steyne, whose carriage often stops by, and they also talk about how badly Becky treats Rawdy. As the family gets ready to head to Queen’s Crawley and see Pitt Crawley and... (full context)

Becky, Rawdon, and Rawdy make it to Queen’s Crawley and have dinner with Pitt Crawley and Lady Jane. At... (full context)

...pretends to put aside her grudge against Bute and Mrs. Bute. The Butes all compliment Rawdy, who would become heir if anything ever happened to the sickly Pitt Binkie. Meanwhile, Rawdy... (full context)

Rawdon begins to appreciate how Lady Jane treats Rawdy much nicer than Becky usually does. Being about eight years old, Rawdy, however, has begun... (full context)

...people he likes, and Becky and Rawdon have earned his favor. He begins paying for Rawdy to attend a more expensive boarding school. Although Rawdy doesn’t have much experience with education,... (full context)

A friend of Rawdon’s promises that his son who goes to the same school as Rawdy will take care of him. Instead, the boy makes Rawdy do chores for him. Still,... (full context)

...When they get back, Becky cheerfully goes to Miss Briggs and tells her that, with Rawdy at school, Becky no longer needs Miss Briggs’s services. Instead, Miss Briggs can replace the... (full context)

...all he really has to do to have a happy family is make Becky like Rawdy a little more. It’s while Rawdon is thinking of all these things that he gets... (full context)

...has a problem, Pitt assumes it’s about money. But Rawdon explains the real issue is Rawdy. Rawdon says if it wasn’t for Rawdy, Rawdon would have already slit his own throat,... (full context)

Rawdon says that if anything happens to him, Becky can’t be trusted with Rawdy, so Lady Jane and Pitt Crawley must take care of him. Pitt Crawley shakes his... (full context)

...the house and all the servants were drinking and celebrating. Rawdon’s glad at least that Rawdy is away at boarding school and isn’t stuck at the house. At that very moment,... (full context)

Rawdon gets emotional at the thought that he might never see Rawdy again if he falls in the duel. He tells Captain Macmurdo that if anything happens,... (full context)

Regretfully, Rawdon decides to bury his dispute with Lord Steyne, partly for the benefit of Rawdy (who gets money to go to school from Lord Steyne). And so, Rawdon accepts he... (full context)

Becky is so busy managing her own affairs that she doesn’t pay attention to Rawdy, who gets sent to live with Pitt Crawley and Lady Jane. Becky doesn’t keep in... (full context)

...tenderness that Amelia shows her. Amelia says it must be so awful that they took Rawdy away from Becky—she had the same experience with Georgy—and Becky pretends that losing her son... (full context)

...Amelia and Lady Jane soon become very good friends. Amelia has a daughter with Dobbin. Rawdy and Georgy go hunting and go on vacations together, and later, they both go to... (full context)

...on Coventry Island, and six weeks later, Pitt Crawley dies, too, leaving a fortune to Rawdy. Rawdy refuses to contact Becky but pays her a decent allowance. (full context)