# Miss Elver — Those Barren Leaves character guide

> Miss Elver in Those Barren Leaves by Aldous Huxley.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0000-part-i-an-evening-at-mrs-aldwinkle-s

## Snapshot

Mr. Cardan's half-witted wife, a grown woman with a child's mind, whose simple presence quietly unsettles the sophisticated guests at the villa.

## Who they are

Grace Elver is the harmless idiot whose arrival Mrs. Chelifer greets as a compensation for abandoned good works, while the rest of the party dismisses her as Mr. Cardan's half-wit. Too simple to be interesting — simplicity, Huxley notes, is no virtue unless you are potentially complicated — she scuttles ungainly as a diving-bird, weeps when Cardan leaves, and blushes at jokes she cannot finish. Her innocent existence shadows Cardan's private arithmetic of twenty-five thousand pounds and a comfortable old age.

## In the story

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/vi)

A short, childlike woman with a large head, watery eyes, and a gaudy dress; she laughs excessively and speaks in a naive, confiding manner, claiming to dislike Italy.

### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/viii)

Shows childlike excitement and devotion toward Mr. Cardan, fainting when he kisses her hand. She is eager for his promises of animals and a visit to his house, revealing her innocence and loneliness.

### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/ix)

Accompanies Mr. Cardan joyfully, asks about having children after marriage, and is easily distracted by the beauty of the lake.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/i)

Rides in front of the limousine, waving frantically at passersby and animals; loses all her handkerchiefs to the wind and cries until Hovenden lends her a bandana.

### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/ii)

Waddles along the road, trailing a red bandana; waves and greets people in Foligno; exclaims 'More lakes' at Clitumnus.

### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/iii)

Eats chocolate éclairs and meringues messily; is gently restrained by Mrs. Chelifer from taking more cakes.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/iv)

Points out the cats in the forum; expresses a desire to learn 'cat's Italian.'

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/v)

Requires assistance climbing the steep steps out of the tomb, her laughter and whooping echoing in the space.

### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/vi)

Insists on eating fish despite warnings, later suffers from severe pain and groans in her room at night.

### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/vii)

Her death-agony interrupts Chelifer's encounter with Miss Masson.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/miss_elver
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters