Anson Hunter

Paula Legendre

Anson and Paula share a long-term romantic relationship that ultimately fails due to Anson's inability to commit and his restless nature.

Dolly Harlan

Anson has a casual romantic fling with the lively Dolly, reflecting his pattern of avoiding serious commitment.

Paula Legendre

Anson and Paula share a long-term romantic relationship that ultimately fails due to Anson's inability to commit and his restless nature.

Dolly Harlan

Anson has a casual romantic fling with the lively Dolly, reflecting his pattern of avoiding serious commitment.

Paula Legendre

Anson and Paula share a long-term romantic relationship that ultimately fails due to Anson's inability to commit and his restless nature.

Dolly Harlan

Anson has a casual romantic fling with the lively Dolly, reflecting his pattern of avoiding serious commitment.

The Rich Boy

The protagonist, a wealthy and emotionally reserved young man whose romantic entanglements reveal his inability to fully commit.

I

The subject of the story, a rich young man whom the narrator describes as a foreigner to be approached with a stubborn point of view.

II

The protagonist, eldest of six children, grows up in wealth and privilege, develops a sense of superiority, and falls in love with Paula Legendre during naval aviation training.

III

Anson gets drunk before a dinner party, behaves boorishly, and passes out, causing tension with Paula and her mother.

IV

Dominates and attracts Paula, but his mixture of solidity and self-indulgence causes her anxiety. He denies their engagement to a reporter, gets drunk and misses an appointment, leading to the breakup. After Paula's engagement, he weeps uncontrollably for three days.

V

Now 27, Anson is a rising figure in his firm, teaching Sunday school while drinking heavily. He navigates a complex affair with Dolly Karger, ultimately breaking it off due to his lingering feelings for Paula.

VI

Now a partner in his firm, Anson becomes a problem-solver for young married couples and confronts his aunt Edna about her affair.

VII

Anson becomes the responsible head of his family after his mother's death, feels his social standing erode, and struggles with loneliness as his friends marry and move on.

VIII

Anson is pressured by his partners to take a vacation abroad due to his recent nervousness and pessimism. He resists, fearing that stopping work means giving up. He shows no emotion upon learning of Paula Legendre Hagerty's death, but later revives on the ship, flirting with a girl in a red tam and regaining his old charm.