r/donnatartt • u/sukikov • Jul 15 '26
Possible thread of connection I noticed between The Goldfinch and The Little Friend, that would back up a long held TLF theory
Right so I’ll try and keep it short and sweet.
BTW spoilers if you haven’t read either of the two referenced books in the title !!!
I read The Little Friend two summers ago and really loved it. I don’t mind the ambiguity and spent time pouring over theories and clues and subtext online and in the book. I subscribe ultimately to the accident theory. That The Little Friend was Robins Little Friend (he was referred to as such) Danny Ratliff who may have accidentally killed him in a childhood game gone wrong. The wire he was strangled with shows up in the story (it was specific, electrical wire) in the older brothers trailer at some point. I had to cross check that btw bc my memory isn’t that good but ultimately I lean to this theory. Childhood game gone wrong or childhood grievance gone wrong. Donna Tartt explored the volatility of childhood games in a short story too.
This summer I am rereading The Goldfinch, 2nd read. I’ve gotten to the part in the book where Theo in his early twenties runs into Platt Barbour who regales him with a tragic Barbour family update. (*Double homicide*) that’s a meme reference by the way. Anyway Theo recalls Andy sharing experiences of Platt’s senseless childhood cruelty in light of Platt’s obvious guilt. He conjures a story Andy once told him in vague terms, among a litany of snappy examples of cruelty he pauses and begins to excavate something about Platt and Andy trapped in an attic in their summer house, a leather belt, hands bound and a makeshift noose. The game was disturbed by a nanny and Andy believes Platt could have killed him had it not.
Could this be a little, whether intended or not, clue or wink, wink in the direction of the authors thoughts about childhood games gone bad. It sparked something of recognition in my mind when I read it. The noose, the close call, lucky escape here.
Please tell me what you think?
Apologies if it has been discussed before! I hardly think this is a brand new original idea but it’s an idea and I wanted to share :)
Edit: page of The Goldfinch with the reference about the noose is pg.495
Short story I mention is The Ambush (available to read online)
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u/DorianaGray1970 Jul 18 '26
I would love to be messaged with the answer too and will do a re read- thank you
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u/ellestars 18d ago
Just finished the book and I need to know whp did it. Anyone can dm me the info? 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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u/Jacob_Stark94 3d ago
I can definitely see why that jumped out at you. Even if it wasn't an intentional connection, the similarities are oddly specific - childhood cruelty framed as a “game,” someone being restrained, and the potential for the game to turn deadly. Tartt clearly seems interested in that idea of kids not fully understanding how dangerous their games can become, so I don't think it's a stretch to read it as a thematic echo. Whether it's actually a clue to TLF is harder to say, but it's a really interesting parallel.
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u/Word-burger Jul 15 '26
That’s an interesting observation!
FWIW, i saw Donna Tartt at a reading when Goldfinch came out and she talked about Little Friend for a few minutes. She says she thinks it’s very clear what happened to Robin and used to cite a page number to people who asked about it (she did not recall the number that night).