The Water-Babies · Character
Ellie
A gentle, well-born little girl whose brief kindness to Tom leaves an ache he carries through the whole underwater world.
supporting
Also known as Miss Ellie, little Ellie, poor Ellie
First appearance: I
As a supporting figure in The Water-Babies, Ellie is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
A little girl who later teaches Tom to be good in the underwater world.
Ellie is the child of the great house whose chimney Tom tumbles down, and though she is a hundred times his size, he recognizes her instantly as kindred — a little girl, not a creature of another order. She is the first person to treat him gently, and the memory of her follows him into the river, where he longs to have her to play with. Her presence gives Tom's transformation its emotional stakes: he is not merely learning to be good, he is trying to become someone worthy of the one person who ever looked at him without disgust.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
8 connectionsA slice of how Ellie sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Moral guides and allegories
- Protagonist
- Satirical and moral exemplars
- Mythological and allegorical enforcers
+3 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak of Tom’s moral crisi…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingIn the story
Ellie appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
