The Way of All Flesh · Character

Ellen

A servant girl whose brief romance with young Ernest becomes, years later, a marriage he cannot reform and will not abandon.

supporting

Also known as that lass Ellen, lass Ellen

First appearance: x

As a supporting figure in The Way of All Flesh, Ellen is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

A pretty Devonshire housemaid at the Rectory; becomes pregnant and is discovered by Dr.

In the storyXXXVIIIOpen this moment free

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Ellen enters Ernest's life as a lass, becomes his wife, and proves the barren task he is too obstinate to give up. Sober, she is the woman he first loved; drinking, she looks back longingly at the lawless freedom she…

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Character Web

16 connections

A slice of how Ellen sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Other

Character groups

Pontifex family core
Protagonist
Extended family, servants, and acquaintances

+11 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the narrative climax because Ernest experiences a profound emotional and psychological reversal, shift…

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Relationships

Ernest Pontifex
romantic · ambivalent
Ernest's first love and the maid who becomes his fiancée, but the relationship is broken… How this plays out →
Ernest Pontifex
romantic · ambivalent
Ernest's first love and the maid who becomes his fiancée, but the relationship is broken… How this plays out →
Ernest Pontifex
romantic · ambivalent
Ernest's first love and the maid who becomes his fiancée, but the relationship is broken… How this plays out →

Ernest Pontifex
Ernest's first love and the maid who becomes his fiancée, but the relationship is broken by family interference and her hidden past.
Ernest Pontifex
Ernest's first love and the maid who becomes his fiancée, but the relationship is broken by family interference and her hidden past.
Ernest Pontifex
Ernest's first love and the maid who becomes his fiancée, but the relationship is broken by family interference and her hidden past.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Ellen in x

In the story

Ellen appears across 12 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

XXXVIII
A pretty Devonshire housemaid at the Rectory; becomes pregnant and is discovered by Dr. Martin; is promptly dismissed by Theobald and Christina.
XXXIX
Dismissed from the Rectory; accepts Ernest's gifts and promises to repay him.
LXXI
Former housemaid at Battersby, now fallen into poverty and alcoholism; she re-encounters Ernest and shares a meal with him.
LXXII
Proposes the shop idea, finds the premises, and appears demure and pretty; Overton instinctively dislikes her.
LXXIII
Shows tact and independence in marriage, encouraging Ernest to go out alone and not joining his Sunday outings, which Overton finds suspicious.
LXXIV
Ellen relapses into alcoholism, hiding her drinking from Ernest. She feigns hysterics and uses pregnancy as an excuse to steal money for gin, causing the business to suffer.
The Wreck of Hope
Ellen's alcoholism and dishonesty escalate after the birth of their child, leading to financial problems and a final breakdown with delirium tremens.
LXXVI
Ellen is Ernest's wife, but their relationship is strained; John reveals he married her before Ernest did.
LXXVII
Shows no remorse over the invalid marriage; accepts the breakup and allowance, later remarries and moves to America.
Chapter LXXVIII
Ernest's estranged wife, now removed from the scene. Overton arranges for her to receive a pound a week from Ernest's estate.
Chapter LXXX
Ernest states he would rather have married Ellen than the idealized Calciope.
LXXXI
Mentioned as the reason Ernest did not make money when he tried to start over at a lower social level.

Chapter companion notes

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See Ellen in x

See Ellen in XXXVIII