Barb Character Analysis in The Dry

Barb Hadler is the wife of Gerry, the mother of Luke, and eventually a new mother figure for Charlotte after the deaths of Luke and Karen. Unlike Gerry, Barb can’t imagine that Luke did anything to hurt his family, and she wants Falk to clear Luke’s name. Barb and Gerry represent two different ways of dealing with grief: while Gerry tries to be pragmatic and expect the worst, Barb maintains hope even when things are difficult.

Barb Character Timeline in The Dry

The timeline below shows where the character Barb appears in The Dry. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Falk and Gretchen see Luke’s parents, Barb and Gerry. Gretchen hugs them first. Falk hadn’t spoken to either of them until a... (full context)

The Human Cost of Climate Change Theme Icon

Gerry and Barb address the crowd at the wake. Barb thanks everyone for coming. She talks with difficulty... (full context)

...from Gerry. Gerry invites him Falk come to his house to speak with him and Barb but asks Falk not to mention the letter Gerry sent him. Falk agrees and comes... (full context)

Barb finally says that she believes Luke obviously wasn’t the one who killed himself and his... (full context)

Barb feels guilty about selling her and Gerry’s farm to Luke, believing that instead of helping... (full context)

Gerry walks Falk out to his car alone. He thinks Barb is delusional to believe that someone killed Luke over a debt. Gerry thinks Luke did... (full context)

...the door. The farm looks similar to how Falk remembered it being when Gerry and Barb still owned it. After thinking over Gerry’s words the previous night, Falk decided to stay... (full context)

...just asks that if Falk finds anything important, he let Raco know. Falk tells him Barb’s theory about a money lender being involved. Falk himself thinks money problems are likely from... (full context)

...but Falk isn’t looking to stay in town more than the couple days he promised Barb and Gerry. (full context)

...stop him. He thinks about how his mother died shortly after he was born, so Barb acted like a mother to him. Ellie also spent a lot of time at Luke’s... (full context)

Falk heads over to Luke’s old farm to meet Gerry. Falk finds Barb first—she’s crying in the main bedroom, looking at a Father’s Day card that Billy made... (full context)

Falk and Barb go to the kitchen make tea, and Barb thanks Falk for his help in the... (full context)

...there. When she was 11, after her mom, left, Ellie looked very thin, but when Barb mentioned it to Deacon, he just told her to go away. Barb and Gerry believe... (full context)

Barb leaves Falk and Gerry alone in the barn. Falk tells Gerry that there’s a possibility... (full context)

...murders of Billy, Karen, and Luke. Falk gets some grateful visitors in the hospital, including Barb and Gerry. Gerry is relieved that the new murders have nothing to do with Ellie. (full context)