Gretchen Sedaris Character Analysis in Me Talk Pretty One Day

Gretchen Sedaris is David Sedaris’s younger sister. A talented artist, she receives fantastic amounts of praise from her teachers. In response, both of her parents want to take credit for her skill. Lou even sets up a small painting studio in the basement and proves his own abilities. Envious of the attention Gretchen gets from her art, Sedaris tries to posture as an artist, eventually deciding to major in art in college. By the time Sedaris gives up and drops out of art school, Gretchen is on her way to the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design.

Gretchen Sedaris Character Timeline in Me Talk Pretty One Day

The timeline below shows where the character Gretchen Sedaris appears in Me Talk Pretty One Day. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

One night, Lou takes Sedaris and his sisters Lisa and Gretchen to the nearby university to see a concert by the jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. Brubeck... (full context)

Humor, Commentary, and Observation Theme Icon

Lou buys a baby grand piano and signs Gretchen up for piano lessons even though she’s never voiced an interest in the piano. He... (full context)

...guitar. This disappoints Lou, but he accepts the excuse. Taking a cue from their brother, Gretchen and Lisa give similar excuses, and though their father tries to tempt them with new... (full context)

...Every year, they hold a contest at the end of vacation, but they all know Gretchen will win because she’s naturally darker than all of them. Still, they and their mother... (full context)

Sedaris’s sister Gretchen proves her impressive artistic abilities early in life, painting beautiful watercolors. As she goes through... (full context)

When Sedaris leaves for college, he’s relieved to get away from Gretchen’s talent, which makes him outrageously jealous. Deciding to major in art, he worries that he... (full context)

...lives in Chicago with a female cat named Neil that he adopted from his sister Gretchen. When Neil falls ill, a vet suggests that she be put on dialysis. This is... (full context)