| Plot Summary of The Talented Mr. Ripley |
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"Tom Ripley, a small-time American con artist, is asked by a wealthy man to go to Europe and try to convince his wayward son to come home.
When Ripley befriends the young man, Ripley realizes that the people in this world live exactly the way he would like to live. He begins to plot his way into their inner circle.
This book twists and turns and keeps you guesing until the very end!"
Lisa West, Resident Scholar
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"Tom Ripley, a young man of no means living in New York, gets caught up in the lives of rich playboy Dickie Greenleaf and his friends due to a case of mistaken identity. Soon, Tom discovers that he loves Dickie's life so much, he decides to become Dickie."
Amanda Goodwin, Resident Scholar
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"Tom Ripley is a small-time American conman and stone-cold sociopath. As the book opens, Ripley, mistaken for an old friend of erstwhile shipping heir Dickie Greenleaf, is given an offer by Dickie's wealthy parents: go to the Italian village where Dickie is staying with his fiancee and convince him to return. Ripley, who is, in fact, wanted by the law, accepts.
Traveling to Italy, Ripley befriends both Dickie and his novel-writing fiancee, Marge. Although the Italian village and his newfound friends make Ripley feel as though he is in paradise, things quickly begin to deteriorate.
Understanding that he is never going to return with Dickie, the Greenleafs cut Ripley off from his monthly paycheck, while, simultaneously, he is informed that Dickie and Marge will be vacationing elsewhere without him, and they wish him to be gone when they return.
Realizing that his wonderful new life is ending before it even begins, Ripley reacts quickly, with sociopathic skill. Inviting Dickie out for a boat ride, Tom clubs him to death with an oar and sinks his body.
Upon his return to land, the newly rechristened "Dickie Greenleaf" heads for Rome, where he continues to cash Dickie's stipend checks and live the good life.
But, all is not well for "Dickie," for the real Dickie's friends have noticed his disappearance and the banks have grown suspicious of "his" recent signatures.
"
James Craver, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Talented Mr. Ripley |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%
Tone of story
- Dry-cynical
Time/era of story:
- 1930's-1950's
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
The crook is....
- commit white collar fraud or con
Crime Thriller
Yes
Mostly a criminal POV story
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- thief/con artist
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric/Mental:
Yes
Eccentric:
- eccentric
- obsessed
How much violence does he/she use?
- a significant amount
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Italy
Ice Caps/Sea?
Yes
Water?
Yes
Water:
- sail boat
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Misc setting
- resort/hotel
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths?
- 2
Unusual forms of death
- blunt clubbing (like seals)
Unusual form of death?
Yes
Amount of dialog
- significantly more descript than dialog
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