59 pages • 1 hour read
Shana AbeAn American Beauty: A Novel of the Gilded Age Inspired by the True Story of Arabella Huntington Who Became the Richest Woman in the Country
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Character Analysis
Arabella “Belle” Huntington
Arabella “Belle” Huntington, based on a real historical figure of the same name, is the protagonist of An American Beauty. Belle was born Arabella Duval Yarrington; she went on to be known as Mrs. Belle Worsham when she first arrived in New York, and eventually became Mrs. Huntington two times over when she married first Collis Huntington and then his nephew, Henry Edwards Huntington, a few decades later after Collis’s death.
In the novel, Belle is portrayed as a bold, unafraid, and ambitious young woman. She is the most beautiful of her mother’s five children, and she has been taught to wield this beauty as power from a young age, when Belle began working in Johnny Worsham’s gambling saloon. Belle internalizes the axiom that Catherine drills into all her children from a very young age, owing to her own life experiences: “Take what you can, when you can” (35). Thus, Belle is prompt and unflinching in the face of opportunity, and eagerly and willingly engages Collis’s affections when he first shows interest in her.
Belle’s ambition is aided by her intelligence and resourcefulness. Even when she meets Collis as a young 17-year-old, she knows enough to do her research about his background. When Collis approaches her in Johnny’s parlor a second time, Belle already knows what he can offer her, and she encourages his attentions consciously. Belle shows this same intelligence in her relationship with Collis—securing her own and her family’s future by way of well-timed and well-worded requests and suggestions. Belle’s intelligence is not limited to her conduct within and manipulation of relationships, however; she displays an equally sharp business acumen in her property dealings, even outbidding stalwarts like John Rockefeller at times. The vast collection of important art she accumulates over her lifetime is a further indication of her knowledge and taste.
Despite the grand life Belle comes to live, she is not awed or swayed by extravagance for the sake of it. One of the first points of connection between Belle and Collis is their shared love of gardens. Belle tells him she is a skilled gardener, and she keeps up with this talent even during her years in New York. Belle’s green thumb is proof of her enduring connection to her rustic background, and she and Collis eventually retreat to such a life in Collis’s later years. Belle’s affinity for nature and greenery is also complemented by her lack of desire to be part of the New York social scene. Belle’s ambitions for grandeur are more to do with financial security than social standing; her love of art is rooted in aesthetic appreciation rather than displaying class and exclusivity.
Belle succeeds in translating her dreams and aspirations into reality because of her unshakeable pragmatism. She is not devoid of passion or dreams, as evidenced by her intense feelings for Edward from the very moment they meet. However, she has learned well at Catherine’s instruction and prioritizes success and security over anything else in life, including her own desires. Abé imagines Belle and Edward’s union at the end of the book as the conclusion of Belle’s character arc in this regard: After having realized her dreams through hard work and sacrifice, Belle finally receives an opportunity to follow her heart unabashedly.
Collis Huntington
Collis Huntington is a railroad magnate who becomes Belle’s lover and eventual husband after his first wife’s death. Collis, like Belle, comes from humble beginnings and rises in wealth and status through his own efforts—in his case, making his fortune building railroads across the country.
Thirty years older than Belle, Collis is nevertheless an interesting, engaging, and generous partner and lover to Belle. They first meet at Johnny’s parlor, and when Collis later seeks her out at Yarrington House, Belle is drawn to Collis despite his age and even though she does not find him handsome. Their relationship is not one of passionate love from Belle’s side, though Collis remains enraptured by Belle till the very end of his life. However, there is companionship and conversation, and Collis holds Belle’s intelligence and accomplishments in high regard, as much as he does her physical beauty. Throughout their relationship, there is very little that Collis denies Belle. He is more than willing to spend unlimited funds on everything she desires, from material possessions to business transactions and even her family’s financial needs.
However, Collis does require some sacrifices from Belle, and those stem from his inability to reconcile The Tension Between Societal Expectation and Personal Ambition in his own life. Collis is unable to choose between Belle and his wife, Elizabeth. He cannot part ways with Belle, as he needs the excitement and passion she brings; he cannot leave Elizabeth either, as he feels indebted to the support and love she has shown him over their marriage. Collis’s conduct in this situation turns out to be selfish, rooted in the power and privilege that he has as a wealthy, white man during these times: To appease his own psychological struggle, he quietly demands sacrifices from both Belle and Elizabeth. On one hand, he refuses to cut Belle loose, which continues to pain Elizabeth throughout her marriage; on the other, he forces Belle to part with Archer to ensure that Elizabeth does not leave him either. While both women suffer in turn, Collis emerges the winner, able to keep his reputation intact without the messiness of a divorce, even as he continues his illicit affair.
Following Elizabeth’s death, however, Collis does not hesitate to legitimize his relationship with Belle, and he welcomes and cares for his biological son, Archer, equally well. Collis and Belle enjoy a happy marriage despite the attraction she feels for Edward, and the deep sorrow Belle feels at his passing is an indication of the strong relationship the couple shared, despite their murky beginnings. Over time, Collis comes to be not only Belle’s salvation from a tragic life but also her true partner in a happier one.
Catherine Yarrington
Catherine Yarrington, née Simms, is Belle’s mother. Born into a genteel family, Catherine’s world is turned upside down after she falls in love with and marries Richard Milton Yarrington and is cut off by her family. Catherine’s life is one of hardship, as she is forced to adapted to greatly impoverished circumstances, a far cry from her privileged childhood. When Richard dies of cholera while her five children are young, she is left to care for them alone.
Catherine is forced into stoic pragmatism by her life’s circumstances. Her experiences teach her that there is little to be gained from romantic notions like love and desire, and she refuses to allow space in her or her children’s lives for such softer emotions. Furthermore, the dire straits she finds herself and her children in push her to do whatever she can to ensure survival first. Thus, she hands Belle over to Johnny Worsham’s parlor knowing full well that sex work will be involved. While Catherine does feel some pain as a mother when she recollects this choice—she cannot eat food off a white china plate, as it reminds her of that meeting with Johnny—she is unapologetic about her choices, as she sees the life it has eventually afforded both Belle and the rest of the family.
Catherine is instrumental in shaping Belle’s life with respect to events that transpire, as well as the person she becomes. Both of these are partially intertwined, as Belle’s outlook is what leads her to make certain choices, like beginning an affair with Collis, that eventually lead to situational changes in her life. Despite some of the choices Catherine makes on her daughter’s behalf, Belle and Catherine enjoy a close relationship till the end of Catherine’s life. Belle begrudges her mother nothing; she understands the necessity of her mother’s actions, given their prior circumstances, and sees the benefit it has brought to her life. In this way, Belle perfectly reflects the pragmatism that Catherine worked hard to instill in her daughter.
Clara Huntington
Clara Huntington is Collis and Elizabeth’s daughter. Born to Elizabeth’s sister, Clara Prentice, Clara was adopted by the Huntingtons when her father passed away; Clara learns of her adoption only on her thirteenth birthday.
Despite the role Belle has in Collis’s life, Clara enjoys a good relationship with her. Clara’s own mother, Elizabeth, is a sharp contrast to Belle. She is often sickly, inclined to stay indoors and secluded, and doesn’t have the stomach to face society especially when everyone knows of Collis’s affair. It is Belle who bolsters Clara, especially in her later years, and offers some support. After Belle and Collis marry, Belle takes on an active maternal role in Clara’s life, constantly looking out for her and determined to ensure that Clara enjoys a happy and secure future.
Clara’s life is an indication of the role fate can play in one’s life and fortune. In many ways, she is the inverse of both Belle and Archer. Clara is not Collis and Elizabeth’s biological child, but she enjoys the legitimacy of the Huntington name nevertheless, something that Archer is denied. This legitimacy allows Clara access to social events and balls even when Belle is denied the same. Clara’s privilege also affords her the option of making choices without having to worry about their consequences, such as choosing to marry a man for love without worrying about his character and motivations. Furthermore, despite the opportunities and means presented to Clara throughout her life, she does very little to further her own independence. Clara’s life and perspective throughout the book serves as a contrast to Belle and Catherine’s experiences, and helps round out the exploration of Women’s Agency in a Patriarchal Society.
