Ruby Tremaine in The Davenports: Character Analysis

Overview

Ruby Tremaine is one of the four young women at the heart of The Davenports, and her story is the novel's most direct exploration of how love, family duty, and personal ambition collide. A socialite from a once-prosperous Chicago family, Ruby enters the narrative as a young woman who has long loved John Davenport and hopes he will propose. But her family's finances are crumbling, her father's mayoral campaign is straining every resource, and her parents see a marriage to John as the family's salvation. When Ruby begins a calculated flirtation with the newcomer Harrison Barton to make John jealous, she discovers that her feelings for Harrison are real—and that choosing him means defying her parents and the social expectations that have defined her life.

Ruby's arc moves from manipulation to self-awareness, from performing a role to claiming her own desires. She is proud, dramatic, and quick to retaliate, but she is also deeply insecure about who she is without money and status. By the end of the novel, she makes the boldest decision of her life: she rejects the marriage her parents have planned and declares her love for Harrison, even at the cost of breaking her mother's heart. Her journey is a central thread in the novel's examination of women's ambition vs. societal expectations and forbidden love and self-determination.

Plot Role

Ruby is one of the four protagonists whose perspectives structure the novel. She is Olivia Davenport's closest friend, and her story runs parallel to Olivia's romance with Jacob Lawrence and Helen's with the same man, as well as Amy-Rose's relationship with John. Ruby's role is to show how the pressure to marry well affects a young woman whose family is losing its footing. While the Davenport sisters enjoy relative financial security, Ruby's family is selling possessions and remaking old dresses to keep up appearances. Her father's run for mayor—and his hope that a Davenport alliance will secure white and Black support—makes Ruby a pawn in a larger political game.

Ruby's actions also drive several key plot developments. Her decision to pursue Harrison Barton creates the love triangle that occupies much of the middle of the book. Her secret engagement to Harrison, revealed at the masquerade ball, forces a confrontation with her mother and leads to Harrison's temporary departure. Her eventual declaration at Marshall Field's and her streetcar ride to Harrison's brownstone provide the novel's most direct statement of self-determination. Ruby's story also intersects with the theme of class and social mobility, as her family's decline contrasts with the Davenport's rise and Harrison's independent wealth.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Ruby's primary motivation at the start is to secure John Davenport's affection. She has loved him since childhood, and she believes that a proposal would restore her family's standing and give her the life she wants. In Chapter 4, she approaches John in the living room and arranges a riding date, then steers him away when Amy-Rose appears to refill his glass—a small but telling action that shows her awareness of competition and her willingness to manipulate a situation to her advantage.

Her pride is evident in how she handles her family's poverty. She hides the truth from most people, even Olivia, and she resents her parents for asking her to sell her prized ruby necklace. In Chapter 8, she hides the necklace in her dress rather than give it up, and she later pawns her mother's necklace instead—an act of defiance that shows both her temper and her sense of justice. She tells herself that her mother never missed it, confirming that she made the right choice.

Ruby is also self-aware about her own flaws. In Chapter 18, she admits to Harrison, "We're broke," and reflects that she doesn't know how to be Ruby Tremaine without the money and jewels. This confession is a turning point: it shows that beneath her bravado, she is anxious about her identity. She also recognizes that she loves drama and retaliation, but she is capable of growth. When she realizes her feelings for Harrison are genuine, she takes responsibility for her deception and apologizes.

Her impulsiveness is both a strength and a weakness. She decides to pursue Harrison to make John jealous, but she doesn't anticipate falling in love. She keeps her engagement secret, hoping to tell her parents at the right moment, but the secret explodes at the masquerade. Yet her final decision—to walk out of the dress shop and go to Harrison—is the most deliberate and courageous act of her arc.

Chronological Arc

Ruby's story unfolds in distinct stages. In Chapter 4, we meet her as she shops with Olivia and returns home to face her parents, who reveal that her father planned to announce her engagement to John at a party that Friday. Ruby is uncertain who wants the engagement more—her parents or herself.

In Chapter 8, at her parents' party, Ruby meets Harrison Barton. She notices John's jealousy and decides to use Harrison to capture John's attention. She dances with Harrison and begins a plan.

In Chapter 18, Ruby and Harrison visit a jazz club. Ruby confesses her family's financial troubles, and Harrison shares the painful story of his parents' mixed-race marriage and his mother's enslavement. Ruby is moved by his honesty and begins to see him as more than a tool.

In Chapter 22, Harrison surprises Ruby with an automobile and returns her missing ruby necklace, which he won in a poker game from Lonnie Lynch. Ruby is deeply moved, though she feels guilty about using him. They share a picnic and passionate kisses.

In Chapter 30, Ruby's mother confronts her about her distraction. Ruby admits she and Harrison are spending less time together, but she also realizes she wants to be with him. Her mother tells her about a lost first love and says she chose Ruby's father because he was "the better choice." Ruby decides that Harrison is her better choice.

In Chapter 34, Ruby apologizes to Harrison at the lakeside spot where they first kissed. She tells him she hasn't stopped thinking about him, and he gives her a second chance. She plans to tell her mother the truth.

In Chapter 41, at the masquerade ball, Ruby's mother confronts her about the engagement, having heard from Mrs. Davis. Ruby declares she and Harrison are in love, but her mother insists she will marry John. Harrison realizes Ruby never told her parents, calls her a coward, and leaves.

In Chapter 46, Ruby attends brunch with her mother and learns that Harrison made a sizable donation to her father's campaign weeks earlier. She feels trapped and realizes she must break her mother's heart to be happy. At Marshall Field's, she declares she will not marry John, that she loves Harrison, and that she won't let her parents bully her. She rides a streetcar to Harrison's brownstone, tells him she loves him, and they reconcile.

Relationships

With Olivia Davenport: Ruby's friendship with Olivia is one of the novel's constants. Olivia is the one person Ruby trusts with her feelings, even when she can't share everything. In Chapter 4, Olivia predicts John will propose, and Ruby confides her worries. Later, Olivia helps deliver Ruby's note to Harrison, showing that their bond endures even as their romantic lives diverge.

With her parents: Ruby's relationship with her parents is fraught. They love her, but they see her as a means to an end. Her father plans an engagement announcement without consulting her, and her mother pressures her to "stick to the plan." Ruby resents being treated as a tool for their ambitions, yet she also understands their desperation. Her mother's confession about her own lost love complicates Ruby's view, but ultimately Ruby chooses her own happiness over her mother's wishes.

With John Davenport: Ruby's feelings for John are rooted in childhood affection and the hope of security. John is kind but oblivious to her romantic interest; he is more focused on his automobile project and later on Amy-Rose. Ruby's jealousy when she sees John's attention shift to Amy-Rose is a turning point that pushes her toward Harrison. John's eventual rejection of Ruby—he tells his father he does not love her—is a painful but freeing moment for Ruby.

With Harrison Barton: Harrison is the catalyst for Ruby's growth. He is confident, honest, and unburdened by the social pretensions that define Ruby's world. He accepts her confession about her family's poverty without judgment, and he returns her necklace—a symbol of her lost identity. Their relationship moves from manipulation to genuine love, and Harrison's patience and forgiveness allow Ruby to become her truest self.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Ruby makes several decisions that shape her arc. First, she hides her ruby necklace from her mother and later pawns her mother's necklace instead. This act of defiance preserves a piece of her identity but also deepens the rift with her mother. Second, she decides to pursue Harrison Barton to make John jealous. This decision leads to genuine love but also to a painful deception that nearly destroys her relationship with Harrison. Third, she keeps her engagement to Harrison secret, hoping to tell her parents at the right moment. The secret is exposed at the masquerade, causing Harrison to leave and Ruby to face the consequences of her cowardice. Finally, she decides to reject her parents' plans and declare her love for Harrison. This decision costs her her mother's approval but wins her the life she truly wants.

Theme and Symbol Connections

The ruby necklace is the novel's most potent symbol for Ruby. It is a gift from her parents, engraved with her initials, and it represents her sense of self-worth and identity. When her mother confiscates it and sells it, Ruby feels lost. Harrison's return of the necklace—won in a poker game—signals his understanding of what matters to her and becomes a turning point in their relationship. The necklace also connects to the theme of black entrepreneurship and economic self-determination: Ruby's father's campaign is an attempt to create opportunities for Black people, and Harrison's wealth is self-made, contrasting with the Tremaines' inherited decline.

Ruby's story also embodies the theme of activism and civil rights. Her father's mayoral run is motivated by a desire to make Black success "common," as Ruby explains to Harrison. Ruby initially resents being the face of that ambition, but she eventually claims her own agency. Her final decision to choose love over duty is a personal act of self-determination that mirrors the larger struggle for autonomy in the novel.

Questions and Answers

1. Why does Ruby initially pursue Harrison Barton? Ruby pursues Harrison to make John Davenport jealous. She hopes that if John sees her with another man, he will realize he might lose her and propose. Her plan is revealed in Chapter 8, when she notices John's frown and decides to turn her charms on Harrison.

2. What does the ruby necklace symbolize for Ruby? The necklace is a gift from her parents for her sixteenth birthday, engraved with her initials. It represents her identity and self-confidence, especially when she feels overshadowed by Olivia or pressured by her family. When her mother confiscates it, Ruby feels lost; Harrison's return of the necklace is a pivotal moment that deepens their bond.

3. How does Ruby's relationship with her mother change over the course of the novel? Initially, Ruby resents her mother for treating her as a means to secure the family's future. Her mother pressures her to marry John and confiscates the necklace. Over time, Ruby learns that her mother also sacrificed a first love for a "better choice." But Ruby ultimately rejects that model, telling her mother she will not marry John and that she loves Harrison. The relationship is strained but not broken; Ruby's declaration is an act of independence rather than rejection.

4. What is Ruby's biggest mistake, and how does she try to fix it? Ruby's biggest mistake is keeping her engagement to Harrison a secret from her parents. She hopes to tell them at the right moment, but the secret is exposed at the masquerade, causing Harrison to feel betrayed and leave. Ruby tries to fix it by apologizing to Harrison at the lakeside, admitting her feelings were real, and asking for a second chance. He gives her one, and she later proves her commitment by publicly declaring her love and going to his brownstone.

5. How does Ruby's decision at the end of the novel reflect her growth? Ruby's decision to reject her parents' plans and declare her love for Harrison shows that she has moved from being a passive pawn in her family's ambitions to an active agent in her own life. She tells her mother, "I will not be marrying John. I love Harrison Barton," and then rides a streetcar to Harrison's home to claim her future. This act of self-determination is the culmination of her arc from manipulation to honesty, from insecurity to confidence.

For a deeper look at how Ruby's story connects to the novel's larger themes, see the pages on women's ambition vs. societal expectations, class and social mobility, and forbidden love and self-determination. You can also explore the ending explained or browse questions and answers for more discussion.