The Goldfinch

Through these chapters, Tartt advances the theme of the centrality and significance of art. It is a foundational element in this world and in this narrative. In the time since his mother’s death, Theo has left The Goldfinch hidden in his apartment. Though he considers telling Hobie or Mrs. Barbour about it, he decides that it is too late. Thus, this piece of art becomes a secret that rests in the back of Theo’s consciousness. When he is preparing to leave for Las Vegas, Theo rescues the painting from the apartment and packs it away in a suitcase, leaving it with the doorman for safekeeping. Here, he intuits that he must protect this work of art and keep it away from his father. The painting becomes a treasured object to him, something that remains stable even when his life is falling apart.

Furthermore, other characters in the novel embody the importance and power of art. Mrs. Barbour is a collector, and Hobie notes, “‘Every art dealer and antiquario in New York knows Samantha Barbour’” (138). She is deeply immersed in the art world, and art fills her apartment. Hobie himself is also immersed in the art world, though from a different angle. His role is to restore antiques, another form of art. In this way, he protects art and acts as a nurturer to both it and Theo. In Hobie’s restoration shop, Theo finds an outlet and a sense of purpose. Through engaging in this work, Theo begins to heal from the loss of his mother and to allow art to enter his life in a daily manner. 

Along with the theme of art comes the motif of opulence. The language in The Goldfinch is filled with descriptions of lavish objects, complete with colors, textures, and shapes. Theo begins to occupy spaces that contain a new level of opulence. He moves from a comparatively simple apartment to one on Park Avenue, one of the most extravagant locations in New York. Tartt devotes considerable time to describing the apartment. For example, Theo notices the “silk-shaded lamps burning low, big dark paintings of naval battles and drapes drawn against the sun” (79). The rich textures and colors stand out here. Furthermore, there are many servants, and Theo describes Mrs. Barbour’s assistant, “whose main job seemed to be rearranging the closets and the china collection” (100). The apartment is so lavish that Mrs. Barbour requires assistance in maintaining all of her objects.

So, too, is Hobie’s shop filled with opulent objects. It is an antique shop, so it contains many beautiful, old pieces that people spend significant money for. Upon entering the building for the first time, Theo says that Hobie “ushered me instead to an ornate upholstered chair, tucked and shirred, with fringe and a complicated button-studded seat—a Turkish chair, as I later learned” (126). The fabric is rich and embellished and specific to the type of chair. Whenever the scene is in Hobie’s shop, Tartt uses specific descriptions to depict the varying objects, imbuing them with significance and making them almost into objects of fetish. Theo becomes entranced with them, and they exercise a power of attraction over him.

Moreover, these chapters chart significant character development for Theo. He continues to experience feelings of extreme loss. Finally, he realizes he is without his mother. When he sees the social worker, he “felt a sharp rush of despair—for as bad as I felt there was nothing he could do for me, and from his face, I realized he knew that, too” (80). In this way, he is completely bereft and has hit his bottom.

However, Theo does not continue to occupy this space. When he meets Hobie and Pippa, his perspective on life starts to change. Though he still feels the loss of his mother, he forms connections that sustain him. When talking with Hobie, he allows himself to express his emotions: “Since my mother’s death, I had cried hardly at all and certainly not in front of anyone” (131). In this way, Theo transfers some of the feelings he had for his mother to Hobie, who he trusts and sees as a mentor. He notes that “I felt some profound shift in allegiance” (159). Through his work and relationship with Hobie, Theo slowly repairs himself. Rather than retreating into his feelings of loss, he channels the negative feelings and sublimates them into creative work.