Savage Lucy Character Analysis in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

A “religious freak” from Montana and “artist” who only paints portraits of Barbara Streisand. Lucy is a runaway of “indeterminate age,” and Gonzo meets her on an airplane and gives her acid. Gonzo takes Lucy to the hotel room he shares with Duke in Las Vegas and presumably rapes her. She is described as a girl full of violence and hate with “the face and form of a Pit Bull,” and Duke worries she may attack, or worse—get them arrested for kidnap and sodomy. Duke and Gonzo concoct an outrageous story and ditch Lucy at the Americana Hotel, and she is never heard from again. The character of Lucy underscores sexism and violence against women in American society. Gonzo takes advantage of Lucy, uses and assaults her, and then discards her. While her violence and hatred toward Duke and Gonzo is certainly understood if not justified, she is yet another reflection of the widespread violence in American society.

Savage Lucy Character Timeline in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

The timeline below shows where the character Savage Lucy appears in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

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...is standing naked in the bathroom door. “It can’t be helped,” Gonzo says. “This is Lucy.” The girl continues to stare at Duke with hate and violence in her eyes. “Lucy!”... (full context)

Gonzo explains to Lucy that Duke is his client and friend, and she starts to calm down. Duke looks... (full context)

“Well…” Duke says to Gonzo outside. “What are your plans?” Gonzo explains that he met Lucy on the plane. She had just run away from home for the fifth time in... (full context)

...the car, they head back to the room to try to talk some sense into Lucy. She can’t stay with them, Duke says. It is entirely possible that in a few... (full context)

Duke and Gonzo tell Lucy it is time to “go meet Barbara,” and after packing up all her portraits, they... (full context)

Gonzo tells Duke that he paid a cab driver to take Lucy over to the Americana and see that she checks in. He had told the cabbie... (full context)

...one from the National District Attorneys’ Association welcoming him to Las Vegas, and one from Lucy, who wants Duke to call her at the Americana, room 1600. “Holy shit!” exclaims Duke... (full context)

...“Why the fuck can’t they make it a little less pure?” Duke turns to him. “Lucy called,” he says. “What?” Gonzo asks as the phone rings. (full context)

...the goddamn television!” The clerk suddenly understands. Yes, he says, the war is “terrible,” but Lucy “sounded very disturbed” when she called. Duke is silent. “I thought you should know this,”... (full context)

...clerk to send ice and hangs up the phone. He turns to Gonzo, who laughs. “[Lucy] is looking for you,” Gonzo says. To get rid of her, Gonzo told her that... (full context)

...I’m leaving,” Duke answers. His mind suddenly flashes to an image of a courtroom where Lucy has just taken the stand. “Yessir,” she says to the court, “those two men over... (full context)

...room is in my name.” Duke continues to pack and Gonzo quickly agrees to call Lucy and sort everything out. “Hi Lucy,” Gonzo says. “Yeah, it’s me. I got your message…”... (full context)