# Ellen — Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl character guide > Ellen in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Linda Brent. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** baby Ellen, Poor little Ellen **First appearance:** 0014-xi-the-new-tie-to-life ## Snapshot Linda's young daughter, whose innocence and vulnerability sharpen her mother's desperate resolve to secure freedom before slavery can claim another generation. ## Who they are Ellen is Linda's daughter, a child whose presence transforms her mother's fear into ferocity. When Linda imagines what Ellen might suffer at the same age she herself endured slavery's worst, her heart becomes like a tiger's defending its young. Ellen's visits and her childish questions about her uncle's whereabouts anchor the narrative's emotional stakes, reminding readers that every legal maneuver and midnight escape is undertaken for a girl who deserves a life unshadowed by bondage. ## Relationships ### [Mrs. Flint](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/mrs_flint) _psychological_ Ellen is a child victim of Mrs. Flint's cruel and capricious treatment as her enslaved maid. ### [Grandmother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/grandmother) _family_ Ellen is Grandmother's granddaughter, and Grandmother cares for her deeply despite the dangers of slavery. ### [Benjamin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/benjamin) _family_ Benjamin is Ellen's uncle, and he feels a protective, brotherly affection for her. ### [Mr. Thorne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/mr_thorne) _professional_ Mr. Thorne is Ellen's enslaver after she is sold away, a relationship of ownership and hardship. ### [Grandmother](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/grandmother) _family_ Ellen is Grandmother's granddaughter, and Grandmother cares for her deeply despite the dangers of slavery. ### [Mr. Thorne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/mr_thorne) _professional_ Mr. Thorne is Ellen's enslaver after she is sold away, a relationship of ownership and hardship. ### [Benjamin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/benjamin) _family_ Benjamin is Ellen's uncle, and he feels a protective, brotherly affection for her. ### [Mrs. Flint](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/mrs_flint) _psychological_ Ellen is a child victim of Mrs. Flint's cruel and capricious treatment as her enslaved maid. ### [Benjamin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/benjamin) _family_ Benjamin is Ellen's uncle, and he feels a protective, brotherly affection for her. ### [Mrs. Flint](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/mrs_flint) _psychological_ Ellen is a child victim of Mrs. Flint's cruel and capricious treatment as her enslaved maid. ### [Mr. Thorne](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/mr_thorne) _professional_ Mr. Thorne is Ellen's enslaver after she is sold away, a relationship of ownership and hardship. ## In the story ### [Seven Years Concealed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/incidents-in-the-life-of-a-slave-girl) Linda's daughter, who grows up during her mother's concealment; Linda watches her from the garret and longs to be with her. ### [XV: Continued Persecutions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xv-continued-persecutions) Ellen, the younger child, hides her face on Linda's shoulder in fear of Dr. Flint. ### [Scenes at the Plantation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xvi-scenes-at-the-plantation) Ellen is brought to the plantation, neglected, and cries herself sick. Linda sends her back to her grandmother after she falls ill. ### [XVII: The Flight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xvii-the-flight) Ellen is Linda's baby daughter; Linda bids her a tearful farewell before fleeing. ### [XIX: The Children Sold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xix-the-children-sold) Ellen is sold to the slave trader along with Benny and William, but is soon returned to her grandmother's home after Mr. Sands purchases her. ### [XXI: The Loophole of Retreat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxi-the-loophole-of-retreat) Shrinks away from Dr. Flint when he tries to bribe her for information about Linda. ### [Christmas Festivities](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxii-christmas-festivities) Also receives a Christmas stocking and new clothes, unaware that her mother made them. ### [Competition in Cunning](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxv-competition-in-cunning) Briefly appears when Dr. Flint stumbles over her on the piazza; she expresses a desire to see her mother. ### [Important Era in My Brother’s Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxvi-important-era-in-my-brother-s-life) Linda's daughter; says she would like to live with mother but doesn't remember her appearance. ### [New Destination for the Children](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxvii-new-destination-for-the-children) Sent to Brooklyn as a waiting maid; expresses confusion and longing for her mother during their secret meeting. ### [The Meeting of Mother and Daughter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxxii-the-meeting-of-mother-and-daughter) Linda's daughter, who has been living with Mrs. Hobbs for two years, is neglected in her education and asks to live with her mother. ### [A Home Found](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxxiii-a-home-found) Ellen is living with the Hobbs family; Linda worries about her care and the possibility of her being sold. ### [Prejudice Against Color](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxxv-prejudice-against-color) Linda visits Ellen in Brooklyn and receives a warning about Mr. Thorne. ### [The Hairbreadth Escape](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxxvi-the-hairbreadth-escape) Linda's daughter; living with the Hobbs family, she discovers Mr. Thorne's letter and warns her mother. ### [A Visit to England](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxxvii-a-visit-to-england) Left behind in the house with Linda's friend to attend school. ### [XXXVIII: Renewed Invitations to Go South](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxxviii-renewed-invitations-to-go-south) Found well and improving at her school in Boston. ### [The Confession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xxxix-the-confession) Shows maturity and compassion by revealing she already knows about her father and reaffirms her love for her mother. ### [XL: The Fugitive Slave Law](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xl-the-fugitive-slave-law) Likes her school and is a favorite there; when it is discovered her mother is a fugitive slave, efforts are made to help her. ### [Free at Last](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xli-free-at-last) Visits Linda during a vacation; Linda fears for her safety. ### [Appendix](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/appendix) One of Linda's children, whose imprisonment, sale, and redemption are mentioned by Lowther. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters/ellen - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/characters