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Carlene is a Black British woman who devotes her life to her family, which consists of her husband, Monty, and her two children, Michael and Victoria. But despite Carlene’s warmth and seeming openness, she can also be secretive and mysterious, particularly toward Kiki, who wants to become friends with Carlene but doesn’t understand why Carlene seems to be avoiding her. After the Kippses move to Wellington, Kiki ends up becoming one of Carlene’s only friends outside her family. A conversation that Kiki and Carlene have about a nude Black woman in a Hyppolite painting suggests that Carlene (and Kiki) may have been suppressing queer romantic feelings throughout her life. Ultimately, however, Carlene remains a mystery to the other characters, as she dies from an aggressive form of cancer that she was hiding from everyone, even her immediate family. Carlene represents how the stereotype of the devoted conservative housewife is reductive, embodying how many women dedicate themselves to their families but hide their own struggles away.
Carlene Quotes in On Beauty
The On Beauty quotes below are all either spoken by Carlene or refer to Carlene. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Kipps and Belsey: Chapter 2
Quotes
Kiki slapped the table. ‘Oh, God, this isn’t 1910 – Jerome can marry who the hell he wants to marry – or are we going to start making up visiting cards and asking him to meet only the daughters of academics that you happen to –’
‘Might the address be in the green moleskin?’
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Explanation and Analysis:
Kipps and Belsey: Chapter 4
Quotes
‘It’s about trying,’ said Michael keenly – the topic seemed to animate him. ‘It’s like, if you put the effort in. And I spose my mum’s always been at home, which makes a lot of difference, I think. Having the mother figure and all that. Nurturing. It’s like a Caribbean ideal – a lot of people lose sight of it.’
The Anatomy Lesson: Chapter 5
Quotes
‘She’s fabulous,’ replied Kiki, only now taking the time to look at her properly. In the centre of the frame there was a tall, naked black woman wearing only a red bandanna and standing in a fantastical white space, surrounded all about by tropical branches and kaleidoscopic fruit and flowers. Four pink birds, one green parrot. Three humming birds. Many brown butterflies. It was painted in a primitive, childlike style, everything flat on the canvas. No perspective, no depth.
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On Beauty and Being Wrong: Chapter 4
Quotes
‘But your class – your class is a cult classic. I love your class. Your class is all about never ever saying I like the tomato. That’s why so few people take it – I mean, no offence, it’s a compliment.’
Get the entire On Beauty LitChart as a printable PDF.
Carlene Quotes in On Beauty
The On Beauty quotes below are all either spoken by Carlene or refer to Carlene. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Kipps and Belsey: Chapter 2
Quotes
Kiki slapped the table. ‘Oh, God, this isn’t 1910 – Jerome can marry who the hell he wants to marry – or are we going to start making up visiting cards and asking him to meet only the daughters of academics that you happen to –’
‘Might the address be in the green moleskin?’
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Kipps and Belsey: Chapter 4
Quotes
‘It’s about trying,’ said Michael keenly – the topic seemed to animate him. ‘It’s like, if you put the effort in. And I spose my mum’s always been at home, which makes a lot of difference, I think. Having the mother figure and all that. Nurturing. It’s like a Caribbean ideal – a lot of people lose sight of it.’
The Anatomy Lesson: Chapter 5
Quotes
‘She’s fabulous,’ replied Kiki, only now taking the time to look at her properly. In the centre of the frame there was a tall, naked black woman wearing only a red bandanna and standing in a fantastical white space, surrounded all about by tropical branches and kaleidoscopic fruit and flowers. Four pink birds, one green parrot. Three humming birds. Many brown butterflies. It was painted in a primitive, childlike style, everything flat on the canvas. No perspective, no depth.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
On Beauty and Being Wrong: Chapter 4
Quotes
‘But your class – your class is a cult classic. I love your class. Your class is all about never ever saying I like the tomato. That’s why so few people take it – I mean, no offence, it’s a compliment.’
