Big Summer

Drue Cavanaugh is a glamorous socialite whose family comes from old money. Despite her beauty and charisma, Drue is cruel to other girls. She manipulates girls into doing her dirty work, then creates situations to embarrass those girls. The bridges she burns follow her into adulthood. As an adult, Drue has few friends and many enemies. Drue is murdered in Part 1 of the novel, but her presence is kept alive throughout. Drue’s death symbolizes a shift for the protagonist, Daphne. In her death, Drue’s family secrets are uncovered, revealing that behind Drue’s veneer of perfection existed a lonely woman.

Drue is not as bad as she seems, but she refuses to expose her vulnerability. She chooses to propel her family’s narrative of perfect wealth and strikes a deal to get married for money and fame. Drue’s ambition hides her true heart, but ultimately it is Drue’s actions and not her intentions that characterize her reputation after death.

Daphne creates a parallel between Drue and Daisy Buchanan from the iconic novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Daisy is beautiful and charming, but her charm hides her malicious navigation of social status. She betrays Jay Gatsby, who transformed his life to impress her and win her love. The comparison between Daisy and Drue is not complimentary. It critiques American capitalistic ideals of beauty. Drue doesn’t have to earn her status, wealth, or respect. Like Daisy, all doors are opened for her. But like Daisy, Drue is lonely and lives a loveless life despite having found a man who loves her for who she truly is. Daisy’s betrayals directly and indirectly lead to the deaths of two characters in The Great Gatsby. The key difference between Daisy and Drue is that Drue is the one who suffers the consequences of her manipulations when Leela, a girl from her past whom she had wronged, murders her.

Drue is a specter that haunts Daphne throughout Parts 2 and 3. Drue’s murder destroys the potential for Drue and Daphne to reignite a friendship based on mutual respect. Daphne only gets to know Drue in death. Drue’s character is a foil to Daphne. Her character also symbolizes Weiner’s message about the dangers of inauthenticity.

Darshi is a secondary character. Her loyalty and unconditional friendship reflect the type of relationship Daphne should expect from everyone in her life. Darshi is intelligent, kind, and determined to forge her own life. Her friendship with Daphne stems from the Lathrop school. Darshi is Daphne’s cheerleader and rational tough love-giver. Darshi warns Daphne about developing a friendship with Drue and is always there for Daphne when Drue inevitably disappoints her. Darshi and Daphne build a friendship from genuine respect and mutual love. Darshi represents the reality that Daphne deserves people who love her, even when Daphne can’t realize this herself. Darshi is also a victim of societal pressure to fit in. Darshi dates women but can’t come out to her parents for fear of ostracization from their conservative culture. Though Darshi is rational and intelligent, she is another character who does not live in her truth.

Nick is Daphne’s love interest. At first, he is under suspicion for Drue’s murder and lies about his identity. However, Nick proves himself to be an honest and kind person. He struggles with the traumas of his past. Nick’s beloved mother had been murdered in Cape Cod, and his subsequent years have been spent searching for home. It is revealed that Nick is Drue’s half-brother; his mother had an affair with Robert Cavanaugh. Robert is not a man whom Nick wants to emulate or get to know. Instead, Nick’s journey is about finding peace after the loss of his mother and his own loss of self. Nick and Daphne start their relationship as a one-night stand in Cape Cod but make plans to be with each other after Nick saves Daphne from Leela. Nick is Daphne’s ideal man. He is handsome, kind, and humble. In finding love with Daphne, Nick helps Daphne love her body and accept love from others.