Portrait of a Thief

Will Chen, the protagonist of Portrait of a Thief, is a senior at Harvard studying art history. He’s characterized as someone who wants everything, who fears he’s not enough for his dreams but is unable to let go of them. Beauty is central to his character: Lily calls Will “the kind of beautiful that made you want to look and keep looking” (16). Beauty also describes his motivation, as he sees beauty—in art, women, scenery—and has to have it. His sister Irene thinks he loves art more than she could ever love anything.

Will’s heist archetype is the leader, as he has spent years studying the power of art and how it changes hands; it’s his responsibility to overcome the crew’s obstacles. His relationships with Irene and Lily transform the most. He’s spent his whole life comparing himself to his sister in terms of how well they each live up to their parents and their culture’s expectations. Will and Irene each think the other is better, leading to resentment which damages both themselves and their siblinghood. Will’s relationship with Lily, Irene’s roommate at Duke, represents the