The Lincoln Highway

by

Amor Towles

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Lincoln Highway makes teaching easy.

Patrick “Fitzy” FitzWilliams Character Analysis

Fitzy is an old friend of Harrison Hewett whom Duchess tracks down while searching for his father. Like Mr. Hewett, Fitzy is a “has-been” performer and an alcoholic. He lacks Mr. Hewett’s apathy, however; Fitzy feels guilty because he helped Hr. Hewett frame Duchess for Mr. Hewett’s own crimes, which is why Duchess was sent to Salina.
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Patrick “Fitzy” FitzWilliams Character Timeline in The Lincoln Highway

The timeline below shows where the character Patrick “Fitzy” FitzWilliams appears in The Lincoln Highway. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
6. Duchess
Stories, Truth, and Lies Theme Icon
Duchess bribes a concierge with Emmett’s money, and he learns that Mr. Hewett’s friend Fitzy FitzWilliams, a “third-rate” vaudeville performer, used to live in the apartment building and likely knows... (full context)
6. Duchess (2)
Stories, Truth, and Lies Theme Icon
Debts and Atonement Theme Icon
Duchess finds Fitzy FitzWilliams in a bar, recognizing the man as a drunken “has-been.” Fitzy is startled to... (full context)
Debts and Atonement Theme Icon
Duchess lifts a whiskey bottle and considers beating Fitzy with it. He says that if Fitzy reveals Mr. Hewett’s location, Duchess will consider them... (full context)
5. Emmett
Stories, Truth, and Lies Theme Icon
The concierge directs Emmett to Fitzy FitzWilliams, who admits he directed Duchess to Mr. Hewett’s address in Syracuse. He mentions that... (full context)
5. Duchess (2)
Debts and Atonement Theme Icon
Maturity and Responsibility Theme Icon
Duchess, who has recently turned 16, is back with Mr. Hewett and Fitzy. He befriends Marceline Maupassant, who was a famous clown in Europe in the 1920s. He... (full context)
1. Emmett
Debts and Atonement Theme Icon
Adventure Theme Icon
...Duchess must have been behind the attack, taking care of Emmett’s “unfinished business.” Emmett recalls Fitzy FitzWilliams describing Duchess’s “unfinished business” with Mr. Hewett and tells the others they need to... (full context)