# Tough McCarthy — Stover at Yale character guide

> Tough McCarthy in Stover at Yale by Owen Johnson.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** McCarthy, III Tough McCarthy

**First appearance:** 0003-iv

## Snapshot

Stover's exuberant, roughhousing friend from Andover, whose family losses force him to trade college for the seriousness of life.

## Who they are

McCarthy greets Stover with a war-cry and a wrestling match that threatens the furniture, then proudly shows off the loot of the combined McCarthy family dug out of a circus trunk. His father's death during the summer ends his college course and sends him into the working world, a loss Stover feels keenly on his return. McCarthy's warmth and his abrupt removal from the story measure how quickly Yale's bright, boyish world can close over a man.

## Relationships

### [Dink Stover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/characters/dink_stover)

_friendship_

Tough McCarthy is a rough-edged but loyal friend to Dink, bonding over shared experiences and campus life.

### [Dink Stover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/characters/dink_stover)

_friendship_

Tough McCarthy is a rough-edged but loyal friend to Dink, bonding over shared experiences and campus life.

### [Dink Stover](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/characters/dink_stover)

_friendship_

Tough McCarthy is a rough-edged but loyal friend to Dink, bonding over shared experiences and campus life.

## In the story

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/chapters/iii)

Accompanies Stover, expresses skepticism about secret societies, and suggests eating cream-puffs on the Bones steps.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/chapters/v)

Tries to restrain Stover from volunteering for the wrestling match, knowing Stover's impulsive nature.

### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/chapters/viii)

Mentioned as studying spherical geometry while McNab tries to distract him.

### [The Night Before the Game](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/chapters/ix)

McCarthy loyally defends Stover's abilities, insisting he will last through the game despite the doubts of others.

### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/chapters/xi)

Stover's roommate, mentioned as the object of attention from a different sophomore society.

### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/chapters/xii)

Teases Stover about his green shirt and his reluctance to attend the dinner; smokes a cigar with Stover and Hungerford.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/characters/tough_mccarthy
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/stover_at_yale_se/characters