Ellen Foster: Analysis of Major Characters
"Ellen Foster: Analysis of Major Characters" delves into the complex relationships and dynamics surrounding the protagonist, Ellen, an eleven-year-old girl navigating a tumultuous childhood marked by abuse and neglect. The narrative centers on Ellen's struggle for identity and belonging as she chooses to adopt the surname "Foster" in reference to the family she longs for. Central to her story are her abusive father, Bill, whose alcoholism and cruelty drive Ellen to seek escape; her friend Starletta, whose relationship with Ellen exposes underlying issues of race and privilege; and Julia, her compassionate art teacher, who recognizes Ellen's suffering and tries to help her.
Ellen's maternal grandmother embodies a controlling figure, harboring resentment that impacts Ellen's self-worth, while her aunt Nadine represents a more passive indifference to Ellen's plight. Finally, Ellen's foster mother emerges as a beacon of hope, providing the love and stability Ellen desperately needs, contrasting sharply with her previous experiences. Through these character analyses, the narrative explores themes of resilience, the quest for familial love, and the impact of societal prejudices, inviting readers to reflect on the complexities of childhood and the search for self in the face of adversity.
Ellen Foster: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Kaye Gibbons
First published: 1987
Genre: Novel
Locale: The southeastern United States
Plot: Bildungsroman
Time: The mid-1980's
Ellen Foster, the protagonist and narrator. Eleven years old when the story begins, Ellen never reveals her original last name. She has taken the name Foster to identify with her chosen family, whom she knows, at first, only as “the foster family.” Unusually perceptive and resourceful, Ellen, like many abused children, tries to be self-sufficient. Throughout her struggles, she never compromises her integrity. Ellen's strength, however, is sometimes a disguise for real suffering. Her hatred of her abusive father and her desire to find a loving family motivate her even in the darkest times.
Bill, Ellen's father. An abusive alcoholic, he is the epitome of what Southerners call “trash.” A shiftless farmer, his main interests in life are liquor and making other people suffer. After driving Ellen's mother to suicide, Bill attempts to make Ellen his substitute wife. Ellen's hatred of him is mixed with a certain twisted loyalty that is typical of abused children.
Starletta, Ellen's friend. Starletta is black and seems a little younger than Ellen. Ellen feels superior to her but loves her loyally. Starletta and her family are, at first, Ellen's only refuge from her own wretched home life. Ellen and Starletta's friendship is marred by Ellen's unself-conscious racism. Learning the emptiness of prejudice may be the greatest challenge Ellen must face.
Julia, Ellen's art teacher. A transplanted Northerner who gleefully recalls her hippie days in the 1960's, Julia is the only person who cares enough about Ellen to notice her bruises and realize that she is being abused. Julia and her husband, Roy, have themselves appointed as Ellen's guardians for a time.
Ellen's maternal grandmother, a wealthy woman who has always controlled others with her will and her money. Ellen's grandmother transfers her hatred of Ellen's father to Ellen. She takes Ellen in, partly out of family duty but mostly for revenge. She forces Ellen to work in the cotton fields and constantly compares her to her hated father. She also blames Ellen for her mother's death.
Nadine, Ellen's aunt. A complacent, insensitive widow, Nadine spoils her daughter Dora and treats caring for Ellen as an unpleasant duty. After Ellen's grandmother dies, Nadine grudgingly takes in Ellen. Her attempts to treat Ellen kindly are well intentioned but ultimately hypocritical. When Ellen refuses to act the part of the humble orphan, Nadine rejects her.
Ellen's foster mother, a court-approved foster parent to several girls, including a teenage single mother and her baby. When Ellen spots her in church, she decides at once that the woman will be her new mother. This woman provides Ellen with everything her family of origin could or would not. Although she admits to some faults, she appears almost too good to be true in her unconditional love for her foster children, perhaps only because she is in such marked contrast to Ellen's relatives.