Ellen Gibbons Character Analysis

Having the will to survive is the physiological force to fight, either mentally or physically, for one’s survival. Ellen shows this skill throughout the novel by dealing with child abuse. One example of this is her ability to cope with her father who is a self-destructive alcoholic. In the novel, Ellen is left to live alone with her father after her mother sadly passed away. This makes her life a lot worse because when her father is drunk he expects her to take her mother’s place. For example, one night when Ellen was at home her father tries to grab her and actually calls her by her mother's name, “Get away from me...That is not me. Oh no that was her name. Do not say her name to me. That was her name. I am Ellen” (Gibbons 45). This scene
When she has no choice but to stay with her aunt by law, she learns that “blood ties do not necessarily nurture” (Makowsky 158). For example, when staying with her aunt Nadine, Ellen gets into an argument with her cousin on Christmas day and says something rude to her, “I told Dora….. If she ever had the sense to take a smart class she might know what I was talking about” (Gibbons 131). Her aunt Nadine walks into the argument and heard Ellen say this, without questioning what happened “She said for me to get out… that she didn’t want me to begin with” (Gibbons 131), and kicks her out on the streets. Being abandoned on Christmas day is not the only abuse Ellen goes through, she is also left with the responsibilities of an adult at the age of eleven. In the novel, Ellen is taken in her grandmother who hates her, and leaves her with huge responsibilities that no child should be left with. For example, Ellen’s grandmother gets very sick and Ellen has no choice but to take care of
Even at a young age, Ellen displays coming-of-age through the variety of different circumstances she is faced with. While this is true, a significant example of her coming-of-age is when she learns the sense of morality. In the novel, Ellen is raised in a racist part of time, and she is suppose to believe that all black people are dirt and carry diseases. Nonetheless, while working with black people in the cotton fields she analyzes how loving and caring the black people are “They fought strong as they played and laughed” (Gibbons 78). This changes her feelings towards black people and learns that racism is meaningless, wrong, and based on lies. Another example of how Ellen grows up, is when she learns that just because one is related to someone does not mean that they are true family. For instance, throughout the novel Ellen moves in with many different family members. Every single one of the family members either abuses her, abandons her, or dies and it was perfectly described in an article that Ellen’s family does not care for her; “her remaining family isn't really a family at all” (Makowsky 153). Lastly, Ellen demonstrates coming-of-age through bettering her control over her emotions. In the book, Ellen is left with the responsibility to look after her sick mother and eventually losing her a young age. After this traumatic experience, she learns how to deal with these