Child of a poor artist and a French opera girl, Becky Sharp early learns to shift for herself. Her mother dead, Becky's father with "a great propensity for running into debt, and a partiality for the tavern" brings her up. From her mother she has a knowledge of French from her father the ability to ward off creditors. With this heritage of Bohemian blood, and a clever mind, Becky lives by her wits.
At her father's death (two bailiffs quarrel over his corpse) Becky is accepted at Miss Pinkerton's to teach French in exchange for schooling, free board and room, and a little money. Ingenious Rebecca manufactures a laudable ancestry for herself, and although she is at heart selfish and hostile, she can act the part of modesty, simplicity, gentleness, and untiring good humor. When she cares for the rich Miss Crawley (who has 70,000 pounds) Rebecca's "little nerves seemed to be of iron and she was quite unshaken by the duty and tedium of the sick chamber."
In addition to her mental endowment, Rebecca has physical charm, described by Dr. Squills as "Green eyes, fair skin, pretty figure, famous frontal development." Mrs. Bute Crawley laments Rebecca's physical attraction when she looks at her own dumpy, misshapen, blue-blooded daughters.
Becky has one determination: to carve out a place for herself in Vanity Fair. Although she hasn't blushed naturally since she was eight years old, she can blush at will. She exploits her aloneness and lack of protection. She can cry when she wants to, but the most genuine tears she sheds are those when she has to refuse marriage to the wealthy Sir Pitt Crawley, because she has already married his son, Rawdon.
