Andy Barbour Character Analysis in The Goldfinch

Andy Barbour became friends with Theo in elementary school, when they were both moved up a grade and mercilessly bullied for it. Andy is incredibly smart and nerdy, with an off-putting, “robotic” manner. He struggles with feeling as if he doesn’t fit in with his preppy, elegant, outdoorsy family. Andy’s brother Platt bullies him and his parents are trying to turn him into a different kind of person. Although Theo sees Andy for the last time in childhood, he later hears that Andy had a successful career, gaining a prestigious fellowship at M.I.T. and getting engaged to a Japanese woman. However, tragically Andy is killed in a sailing accident along with his father, Mr. Barbour, when he is still only in his 20s.

Andy Barbour Character Timeline in The Goldfinch

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

...can stay with. Without really knowing why, Theo gives the number of his school friend Andy Barbour. Although they were close when they were younger, Andy and Theo have drifted apart... (full context)

...take him back to his apartment to pick up his schoolbag and some clothes. Inside Andy’s building, the doorman gives Theo a look of pity. Mr. Barbour, who is a bit... (full context)

...a “nip” of alcohol, before retracting the offer after realizing it is inappropriate. A sleepy-looking Andy comes in and sits with Theo on Platt’s bed. Andy comments that what has happened... (full context)

...and a psychiatrist paid for by the city. Meanwhile, the Barbours’ lives continue as normal. Andy’s little siblings, Toddy and Kitsey, run around with their friends, while Mrs. Barbour hosts friends... (full context)

Luckily, Andy understands that Theo doesn’t want to talk about what happened and doesn’t bring it up.... (full context)

Though not very talkative, Andy is a star pupil, and would have been sent to the same boarding school as... (full context)

When Andy goes back to school, Theo watches movies on the TV in Andy’s bedroom. However, after... (full context)

Andy suggests that Theo just stay with his family for good, and Mr. Barbour somewhat unconvincingly... (full context)

Theo’s nightmares have been waking Andy in the night, so Mrs. Barbour starts giving him a pill to stop him from... (full context)

...her, Theo is surprised to see Platt sitting at the table. Platt looks hungover, and Andy and his parents are having another argument about sailing, which Andy insists he hates. Mr.... (full context)

Theo explains about the ring, and Andy suggests that he just go down to West 10th street to visit Hobart and Blackwell... (full context)

Andy texts Theo to check if he’s ok, but Theo ignores it. Hobie mentions how moved... (full context)

...taking the children to dinner at the Yacht Club without Mrs. Barbour, who is busy. Andy asks about Theo’s day, and Theo replies that it was “a little weird,” but that... (full context)

...Pippa was the most “resonant and real-seeming thing” that has happened to Theo lately, but Andy is the only person he’s told about it. (full context)

...if he can explain it, but Theo just shrugs. A few days later, Theo asks Andy to “cover” for him while he goes downtown to Hobie’s again. Andy agrees to tell... (full context)

When Theo meets up with Andy again, Andy declares Texas “boring.” He lists the things Pippa might do there, and Theo... (full context)

Yet Andy is struggling to keep explaining Theo’s absences, and he suggests that they tell Mrs. Barbour... (full context)

Wanting to support Andy, Theo doesn’t go to Hobie’s, although the atmosphere at the Barbours’ is horrible. Neither Andy... (full context)

...like to join the family in Maine that summer. Thrilled, Theo immediately says yes. Although Andy remains staunchly opposed to the sailing part of the trip, he is clearly also excited... (full context)

...more focused on the signs indicating that the Barbours might be interested in adopting him. Andy recently told him that Mr. and Mrs. Barbour believe Theo is a positive influence on... (full context)

...boxes and addresses them to his new home on “Desert End Road” in Las Vegas. Andy comments that it’s like Theo is moving to “a different planet.” Although the rest of... (full context)

Theo misses the Barbours’ apartment. He gets polite emails from Andy and Mrs. Barbour and also writes many letters to Pippa, most of which he doesn’t... (full context)

...answers and says that the family are late for dinner; Theo asks to speak to Andy, but Kitsey says they have to go and hangs up. After Thanksgiving, Theo sees Mr.... (full context)

...Boris asks what Theo will do in New York, and Theo says he will call Andy. Boris reminds Theo he’d previously said that the Barbours didn’t want him, but now Theo... (full context)

...which instantly makes him feel better. Theo worries about bringing Popper to the Barbours’, because Andy is allergic to dogs. Passing the New York Public Library and Central Park, Theo finally... (full context)

...will know the Barbours and alert the family to Theo’s presence. Theo still hasn’t told Andy that he is back in the city. The guests often discuss Welty, who Theo learns... (full context)

...and has just started a new job at an academic publishing house. Theo asks after Andy, saying the last he’d heard was that Andy had an astrophysics fellowship at MIT. Platt... (full context)

Theo is dumbstruck. He had often thought of calling Andy, but never got around to it. Platt apologizes for telling Theo so bluntly on the... (full context)

...he took a leave of absence from work to spend time in Maine, and because Andy was nearby in Boston he went to spend time with him. (full context)

...reflects that Mr. Barbour felt “immortal” on the water. At the time of the accident, Andy and Platt were both staying with Mr. Barbour in Maine. When Platt had arrived, Mr.... (full context)

On the day of the accident, Mr. Barbour, Platt, and Andy all went out on the boat together. Mr. Barbour fell in the water first, followed... (full context)

...to speak, and Theo holds Mrs. Barbour’s hand. She tells him that when he died, Andy was engaged to a Japanese woman. She then mentions that the two little terriers had... (full context)

...with a girl who was once one of the most popular kids in his and Andy’s school, and she mentioned that Andy was still a geek, but in a way that... (full context)

Although Theo had liked the idea of catching up with Andy, he was too fixated on the business to properly think about anything else. Thanks to... (full context)

...they did for him. Platt explains that, of all the family, Kitsey was closest to Andy. (full context)

...usually the one to go and see him. Yet in this case she had begged Andy to go instead. She feels extra guilty because she is a skilled sailor, and thus... (full context)

Leaving the Barbours’, Theo reflects that Andy’s death was both a terrible shock and seemed pre-destined somehow, as if Andy was cursed... (full context)

...Theo is almost “disturbed” by how little trauma she seems to carry with her regarding Andy and Mr. Barbour’s deaths. Now, he tells her that he has to go downtown, and... (full context)

...Mrs. Barbour observes that Forrest Longstreet had been in the same class as Theo and Andy at school, and was part of the group that bullied Andy, although Forrest was too... (full context)

Mrs. Barbour recalls the torments to which Andy was subjected, and the nonchalant responses of the bullies and their parents. When Theo tells... (full context)

...says he now understands that Kitsey probably felt she couldn’t keep publicly dating Tom after Andy and Mr. Barbour died, but kept doing it in private. Kitsey promises that she will... (full context)

...the reason why she didn’t go to visit Mr. Barbour the weekend that he and Andy died was because she was with Tom. He adds that Tom “leeche[s] money” from Kitsey... (full context)

...doesn’t trouble him either. He goes to sleep, and has a surreal, vivid dream about Andy. (full context)