The Bellacourts of Newport, Rhode Island are a nouveau riche family of the early twentieth century, they never having had the breeding of old money. All six adult members of the family and their respective hangers-on are all vastly different except in one respect: they love their money and what having money means (which includes treating poor people, especially their servants, badly), with the four offspring not knowing what it feels like to be poor or to have to work to earn a living. Daughters Lillian and Beatrice are also similar in that they are both vacuous, vain and want more than anything to become famous without having to do anything to achieve that fame.
—Huggo