Evelyn Richards Character Analysis in American Psycho

Evelyn is Patrick Bateman’s fiancée. Though the two of them are both unhappy in their relationship and Bateman quite often treats Evelyn rather cruelly, they stay together largely for appearances. Like Bateman, Evelyn is shallow and materialistic, focusing on how others view her (and how much they enjoy her Christmas Party). She is often gossiping and expects nothing but the finest things as gifts from her fiancé. She values objects and money over real, intimate love and connection. Eventually, Bateman dumps her (after tricking her into eating a chocolate-covered, used urinal cake).

Evelyn Richards Quotes in American Psycho

The American Psycho quotes below are all either spoken by Evelyn Richards or refer to Evelyn Richards. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Idly, I wonder if Evelyn would ever sleep with another woman if I brought her over to the brownstone… If they’d let me direct, tell them what to do, position them under hot halogen lamps… But what if I forced her at gunpoint? Threatened to cut them both up, maybe, if they didn’t comply?

Related Characters: Patrick Bateman (speaker), Evelyn Richards

Page Number and Citation: 120

Explanation and Analysis:

My priorities before Christmas include the following: (1) to get an eight o’clock reservation on a Friday night at Dorsia with Courtney, (2) to get myself invited to the Trump Christmas Party aboard their yacht, (3) to find out as much as humanly possible about Paul Owen’s mysterious Fisher account, (4) to saw a hardbody’s head off and Federal Express it to Robin Barker – the dumb bastard – over at Solomon Brothers and (5) to apologize to Evelyn without making it look like an apology.

Related Characters: Patrick Bateman (speaker), Evelyn Richards, Courtney Lawrence

Related Symbols: Donald Trump

Page Number and Citation: 177-178

Explanation and Analysis:

“Stop it. Come on, I want this,” I say and then in a last, desperate attempt I smile flirtatiously, kissing her lightly on the lips, and add, “Mrs. Bateman?”

Related Characters: Patrick Bateman (speaker), Evelyn Richards

Page Number and Citation: 188

Explanation and Analysis:

It’s an isolation ward that serves only to expose my own severely impaired capacity to feel. I am at its center, out of season, and no one ever asks me for any identification. I suddenly imagine Evelyn’s skeleton, twisted and crumbling, and this fills me with glee.

Related Characters: Patrick Bateman (speaker), Evelyn Richards

Page Number and Citation: 343

Explanation and Analysis:

“Davis,” he sighs, as if patiently trying to explain something to a child, “I am not one to bad-mouth anyone. Your joke was amusing, but come on, man, you had one fatal flaw: Bateman’s such a bloody ass-kisser, such a brown-nosing goody-goody, that I couldn’t fully appreciate it…. Oh good god, man. Why else would Evelyn Richards dump him? You know, really. He could barely pick up an escort girl, let alone… what was it you said he did to her?”

Related Characters: Harold Carnes (speaker), Patrick Bateman, Evelyn Richards

Page Number and Citation: 387-388

Explanation and Analysis:

Evelyn Richards Character Timeline in American Psycho

The timeline below shows where the character Evelyn Richards appears in American Psycho. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The two finally arrive at the home of Evelyn Richards, Bateman’s fiancée, where they’re planning to meet Evelyn and her friend Courtney for dinner.... (full context)

...the kitchen and announces that there are other people who he doesn’t know sitting in Evelyn’s living room. Courtney says that their names are Stash and Vanden, and that they are... (full context)

Under Evelyn’s guidance, everyone makes their way to the table to eat. She and Price briefly excuse... (full context)

...on even more, discussing welfare, abortion, illegal immigration, and so forth. When he finally finishes, Evelyn, unsure of what to do, offers everyone sorbet for dessert. (full context)

...Vanden head out and Courtney goes to meet up with her boyfriend Luis Carruthers, leaving Evelyn, Price, and Bateman behind to keep drinking. The three end up in Evelyn’s bedroom, with... (full context)

All of a sudden, Price is sitting behind Evelyn as she brushes her hair. Bateman watches as Price clearly flirts with Evelyn, even smelling... (full context)

Evelyn abruptly announces that it’s time for Price to leave, and Bateman pushes him out of... (full context)

...phone making a reservation for himself and Courtney (who is on the other line) when Evelyn buzzes into the third line. She is upset – her neighbor was found decapitated the... (full context)

...dinner, Bateman’s mind wanders to the Christmas shopping he’s been doing, and the conversation between Evelyn and him remains shallow, discussing friends of theirs who they dislike. Bateman stops to wonder... (full context)

The dinner carries on with Evelyn doing most of the talking and Bateman hardly paying attention to her. She goes on... (full context)

...U2.” The group includes Luis and Courtney, Paul Owen and his girlfriend, and Bateman and Evelyn – though Bateman mentions trying to bring along Marcus Halberstam’s girlfriend just for Owen’s sake.... (full context)

...cream. While he’s there, he makes a mental note to “put in an appearance at Evelyn’s Christmas party” and wonders if he should ask one of the Clinique girls to be... (full context)

...nonchalantly, passing a bum who he gives the bloodstained fortune cookies to, and arriving at Evelyn’s brownstone (townhouse). He’s late and the party is in full swing. (full context)

Inside the party, Evelyn has spared no expense – there are waiters in tuxedos serving champagne, Tiffany candleholders, fine... (full context)

Bateman pulls Evelyn into the kitchen and tells her he wants to leave and bring her with him.... (full context)

Outside, Bateman rushes Evelyn into a limo – she’s delighted. He goes over to the driver and introduces himself,... (full context)

Inside the limo, Bateman finds Evelyn crying. He’s concerned, and tells her that the Waldorf salad was delicious, when she reveals... (full context)

...when the doorman asks if they’re the two who arrived in the limo, Bateman and Evelyn are invited right in. Bateman goes to grab them each a glass of champagne and... (full context)

...other couple, which leads to him calling the other man’s girlfriend a “bitch” and leaving Evelyn standing in the bathroom a wreck. The other couple begin to argue amongst themselves –... (full context)

When he’s finished, Bateman peeks to see if Evelyn is really gone (she is) and imagines her having a threesome with the other couple.... (full context)

Later that night, in bed, Bateman is unable to sleep. Evelyn calls. She’s upset; she thought the two of them had dinner plans that night, though... (full context)

...He comes to attention when Bethany asks if he’s seeing anyone. Though he thinks of Evelyn, he circles around the question and rebuffs it. He asks Bethany the same thing. She... (full context)

...puzzle. He’s had a fine day: a two-hour workout, a little bit of work, and Evelyn is away in Boston for the weekend. Just outside his door, Jean is sitting working... (full context)

...doing poorly, a new deodorant, and the need to go to the Hamptons. He tells Evelyn of his need, and the two head out of the city to spend time at... (full context)

...ride bikes together, take baths together, and read novels together, but eventually things grew strained: Evelyn wouldn’t eat, and Bateman started microwaving and eating jellyfish. Bateman would lie around, drinking and... (full context)

...bought and poisoned drag itself around a Habitrail rat cage. He gets another call; it’s Evelyn, who wants to see him. He lies and says he’s having dinner alone, but Evelyn... (full context)

...now Bateman has no way of reaching Jeannette and can’t remember which restaurant he told Evelyn to go to. Van Patten returns and starts asking about Donald Kimball, the detective looking... (full context)

Bateman suddenly gets another call: it must be one of the girls. It’s Evelyn, furious, stranded at Kaktus with a woman named Jeannette who is also there to meet... (full context)

Bateman is out to dinner with Evelyn. The week before, they’d attended an office Halloween party, and Bateman dressed as a serial... (full context)

Evelyn attempts to change the subject, telling Bateman a story about two friends of hers, but... (full context)

...it home, covered it in chocolate, froze it, and popped it in a Godiva box (Evelyn’s favorite). He’s brought the box with them to dinner and asked the waiter to surprise... (full context)

At the end of the meal, Evelyn tells Bateman that she wants “a firm commitment.” At this point, he isn’t too fazed.... (full context)

Evelyn tries to reason with Bateman, calling him “honey,” which he detests, and telling him how... (full context)

After much spectacle, Bateman finally gets up to leave Evelyn sitting at the table. She asks him where he’s going, and he enters his own... (full context)

...cocaine and threw it away. He asks her if she has a briefcase, saying that Evelyn has a briefcase. Jean tries to be empathetic, but doesn’t know how to respond. Bateman... (full context)

...For Valentine’s Day, he sent the heart of a girl he killed to her mother, Evelyn a box of flies with a note telling her she’s fat and he never wants... (full context)

...Price assures him that he’s now “back.” Bateman catches him up on things: he dumped Evelyn, and Courtney married Luis (though Price mistakes which “Luis”). Price is now working for a... (full context)

...this and questions Carnes. Carnes goes on to say that Bateman was understandably dumped by Evelyn and could barely even pick up a call girl, let alone mutilate one. Carnes tries... (full context)