Gloria and Anthony, the lovers and later married couple who are at the center of The Beautiful and Damned, undergo fairly dramatic changes in their personalities by the end of the novel. As the story begins, they are both vibrant and lively, eager for new experiences and eager to have lives full of excitement and pleasure. They marry, convinced they're right for each other partly because they're both popular, admired and held in high esteem within their social circles. Gloria is considered a great beauty and Anthony is considered a young man with many talents and prospects. But after they are married for a while, things begin to shift. Anthony can't find a job that he thinks is worthy of his talents and energy, and becomes depressed. Gloria is frustrated by his inability to get a job that will allow them to live in the luxurious style she is accustomed to.
Gloria is initially quite needy and dependent on others to do things for her, as well as very fastidious, fussy about food, etc. But as Anthony becomes weaker and less able to function, he becomes dependent on her and Gloria finds she must cope by become the one who is more responsible and practical. She learns to cook and stops spending money on frivolous things they can't afford. In the end, there seems to be one last opportunity for Anthony to make something of himself, but when that opportunity finally arises, he is too beaten down and disillusioned to take advantage of it. Their hope for the future seems to have left them forever.
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