Brenda Last

Brenda Last is the <a data-internal-link data-link-type="Literary Device" href="https://www.supersummary.com/antagonist/">antagonist</a> of A Handful of Dust, even if she is not present for most of the plot. At the beginning of the novel, she is mired in boredom. Her life is dull and uninteresting, in part because she is married to a dull and uninteresting man. Amid this boredom, Brenda meets Beaver. By deciding to have an affair, she acts where Tony never would, taking control of her fate, even if it is ill-advised. Her choice of romantic partner is also telling, as Tony is a very different man with very different prospects in comparison to Beaver. Tony explicitly dislikes Beaver, believing that Beaver is beneath him in a social sense. Beaver is a comparatively poor man who desperately wishes to belong to the Lasts’ elevated social circle. By having an affair with Beaver, Brenda is rebuking the settled, comfortable, and successful lifestyle that Tony offers. She succeeds in finding excitement, as her affair with Beaver quickly becomes the hot topic of the London social scene. In addition to the social excitement, the prospect of the deceit needed to conduct the affair injects some much-needed energy into Brenda’s life. The affair with Beaver makes Brenda feel desired.

Tony Last

John Beaver

John Andrew Last

Literary Area of Study

British Literature

Society

Class

Social Issues

Relationships

Family

Emotions & Behavior

Grief

Genres

Laugh-out-Loud Books

Marriage

Satire

School Book List Titles

The Best of "Best Book" Lists

Evelyn Waugh

Adult

Novel

Fiction

Guide

Study Guide

Book Brief

Explore A Handful of Dust reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

About A Handful of Dust

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore A Handful of Dust and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

A Handful of Dust Summary

Background

A Handful of Dust Background

chapter

chapterType

section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Parts 1-2

A Handful of Dust Parts 1-2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3 A Handful of Dust Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4 A Handful of Dust Part 4 Summary & Analysis

Part 5 A Handful of Dust Part 5 Summary & Analysis

Parts 6-7

A Handful of Dust Parts 6-7 Summary & Analysis

character

Character Analysis

A Handful of Dust Character Analysis

theme

Themes

A Handful of Dust Themes

Symbols & Motifs

A Handful of Dust Symbols & Motifs

quote

citation

Important Quotes

A Handful of Dust Important Quotes with Page Numbers

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

A Handful of Dust Essay Topics

A Handful of Dust

Character Analysis

Related Titles

Featured Collections