# Lulu Bains — Elmer Gantry character guide > Lulu Bains in Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Lu, Lulu Bains Naylor **First appearance:** 0014-chapter-iii ## Snapshot A deacon's daughter drawn into Elmer's orbit as a girl, then left to reckon with what his charm cost her. ## Who they are Lulu is young, watchful, and caught between the strictures of her father's church and the pull of a man who treats her as an experiment. What begins as a small-town flirtation becomes, for her, a matter of reputation and self-respect that Elmer never bothers to weigh. Her presence shadows his rise, a reminder that his appetites leave marks on people who cannot simply move on. ## Relationships ### [Elmer Gantry](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/characters/elmer_gantry) _romantic_ Elmer seduces and exploits Lulu, a naive young woman, leading to a scandalous affair and her ruin. ### [Floyd Naylor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/characters/floyd_naylor) _social_ Floyd Naylor is a friend of Elmer's who is involved in the cover-up of Elmer's affair with Lulu. ### [Elmer Gantry](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/characters/elmer_gantry) _romantic_ Elmer seduces and exploits Lulu, a naive young woman, leading to a scandalous affair and her ruin. ### [Elmer Gantry](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/characters/elmer_gantry) _romantic_ Elmer seduces and exploits Lulu, a naive young woman, leading to a scandalous affair and her ruin. ### [Floyd Naylor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/characters/floyd_naylor) _social_ Floyd Naylor is a friend of Elmer's who is involved in the cover-up of Elmer's affair with Lulu. ### [Floyd Naylor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/characters/floyd_naylor) _social_ Floyd Naylor is a friend of Elmer's who is involved in the cover-up of Elmer's affair with Lulu. ## In the story ### [Chapter VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-vii) Young woman Elmer pursues; helps decorate church for Thanksgiving; appears innocent and flattered by Elmer's attention. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii) Introduced as Deacon Bains' daughter; a gray-and-white kitten-like young woman who teaches Sunday School and attracts Elmer's immediate interest. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii) Accompanies Elmer to visit a sick old woman; flutters at his attention, admits she is not engaged, and mentions her slow cousin Floyd Naylor. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv) Lulu assists with decorations and is drawn into Elmer's manipulative conversation, showing both attraction and nervousness. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/v) Mentioned as the subject of the confrontation; Frank believes she is innocent and vulnerable. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/vii) Lulu is the object of Elmer's attention; she plays the organ, blushes at his advances, and agrees to meet him later despite her cousin sleeping in her room. ### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/viii) Descends to meet Elmer in her blue frock with hair down, succumbs to his manipulation but ultimately resists and flees after a kiss. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ix) Lulu is seduced by Elmer, naively hopes for marriage, and agrees to keep their relationship secret. ### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-viii) Mentioned as a bisque doll; Frank observes Elmer's predatory interest in her. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv) Lulu is considered a bisque doll by Frank, who fears she might be trapped in marriage to Elmer. Frank thinks she would be better off free. ### [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-ix) Devoted to Elmer but becomes desperate as he withdraws affection; she is manipulated into a compromising situation with Floyd Naylor and later forced into an engagement with Elmer. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i) Mentioned as the object of Elmer's attention and the cause of Frank's suspicions. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii) Remains passionately devoted to Elmer, sending him notes and gazing at him during sermons, unaware of his growing irritation. ### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii) Lulu falsely claims to be pregnant in a desperate attempt to secure Elmer's commitment, then apologizes and seeks his affection despite his cruelty. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv) Appears pale and absentminded; denies romantic involvement with Elmer Gantry but breaks down in tears when pressed by her father. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/v) Trembling and red-eyed, she is brought to Elmer by her father; she submits to Elmer's condescension and weeps with joy at the engagement. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/vii) Manipulated by Elmer, she succumbs to Floyd's advances and is caught kissing him, leading to her disgrace. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-x) Lulu is the woman Elmer was engaged to; he falsely accuses her of being with another man to break off the relationship, rationalizing that she is better suited to Floyd Naylor. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i) Elmer recalls Lulu's chatter and rusticity, justifying his escape; she is the subject of his fabricated story of infidelity. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/v) Married to Floyd Naylor by Eddie Fislinger after the scandal. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i) Referenced in connection with Elmer Gantry's scandalous relations, illustrating the hypocrisy Frank observes. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv) Recalled as a tempting figure from Elmer's past, contrasted with Cleo's queenly demeanor. ### [Chapter XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxv) Lulu, now married to Floyd Naylor, visits Elmer's church; she is still attracted to him and blushes at his attention. ### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii) Lulu, now married to Floyd Naylor, visits Elmer with her husband to explain the past, and later succumbs to Elmer's advances. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii) Lulu attends cooking school and teaches a class at Wellspring, using the church as a cover for her affair with Elmer. ### [Chapter XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxvi) Jealous of Elmer's attention to Sister Coey, but is placated by his explanation of needing publicity. ### [Lively Sunday Evenings and the Art of Publicity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i) Expresses jealousy over Elmer's attention to Sister Coey, but is placated by his explanations. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ix) Mentioned wistfully by Elmer as the one he wishes could share in his triumph. ### [Chapter XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxvii) Mentioned as conferring with Elmer on cooking classes late at night. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i) Lulu Bains Naylor is mentioned as conferring with Elmer on cooking classes late at night, hinting at their ongoing relationship. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii) Elmer is tired of Lulu as well, and hopes to find a new woman friend on the Chautauqua circuit. ### [Chapter XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxxi) Elmer's former lover, heartbroken when he ends their affair due to Cleo's suspicions, becomes despondent. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii) Elmer finds her devotion rustic and unimaginative, threatening to clout her if she continues her lisping praise. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/v) Heartbroken and manipulated into ending the affair; she becomes listless and loses her ambition. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/characters/lulu_bains - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/characters