Educated Character Analysis

Tara Westover

The protagonist and narrator of Educated. Over the course of the memoir, Tara Westover crafts an indelible portrait of her family and of herself. Through the book, she details her father Gene’s Mormon… read analysis of Tara Westover

Gene Westover / Dad

Tara’s father is a bombastic, devout, paranoid, and delusional man who imposes a self-sufficient survivalist lifestyle upon his family in preparation for the “Days of Abomination.” Gene is a radical Mormon fundamentalist who approaches… read analysis of Gene Westover / Dad

Faye Westover / Mother

Tara’s mother is a meek and subservient woman who studies midwifery to please her husband, Gene, and never questions his paranoia or his intense, survivalist, misogynistic religious beliefs. Throughout their marriage, Faye is… read analysis of Faye Westover / Mother

Shawn Westover

One of Tara’s older brothers. Tara’s early memories of Shawn are hazy—he hasn’t lived at home for a long period of time, and when he finally moves back in, he’s earned a reputation throughout… read analysis of Shawn Westover

Charles

One of Tara’s friends from town and her first “boyfriend,” though Tara struggles to behave intimately or romantically with Charles. She and Charles become close when Tara, whose beautiful voice moves Gene and many… read analysis of Charles

Tyler Westover

One of Tara’s older brothers. Smart, sensitive, and quiet, Tyler is more interested in reading and listening to classical music than helping out in the scrapyard. Tara is devastated when he leaves home to… read analysis of Tyler Westover

Richard Westover

One of Tara’s older brothers. Richard pursues an education and marries a woman named Kami—together they live a “mainstream” life, remaining loyal to the Mormon faith but abandoning the constricting and isolating traditions… read analysis of Richard Westover

Luke Westover

One of Tara’s older brothers. Luke’s most memorable story in the memoir occurs when he sustains an accident at the scrap yard—one of his legs catches fire, and he sustains horrible burns that debilitate… read analysis of Luke Westover

Grandma-down-the-hill

Tara’s paternal grandmother. As her nickname suggests, she lives just down the hill from Gene’s family—but opposes the way her grandchildren are being raised, believing that they should be in school instead of… read analysis of Grandma-down-the-hill

Grandma-over-in-town

Tara’s maternal grandmother, who lives fifteen miles away from the Westover clan in the only town in the county. Though she keeps a modest home by “normal” standards, Tara is always entranced on her… read analysis of Grandma-over-in-town

Professor Steinberg

One of Tara’s early supervisors during her study abroad program at Cambridge. He is fascinated by Tara’s background, and sees teaching her as having “stepped into Shaw’s Pygmalion.” He works tirelessly with Tara… read analysis of Professor Steinberg

Dr. Kerry

The professor of Tara’s Jewish history class at BYU. He helps secure Tara a spot on his annual study abroad program at Cambridge, setting in motion Tara’s involvement with and attachment to the prestigious… read analysis of Dr. Kerry

Audrey Westover

Tara’s only sister. The two are never really close, and though Tara eventually attempts to form a relationship with Audrey and confide in her about the truth of Shawn’s abuses, Audrey ultimately stands… read analysis of Audrey Westover

Emily Westover

Shawn’s wife. Nearly a decade younger than Shawn, she has a “compliant” personality. Though Tara foretells that Emily and Shawn’s marriage will be marked by violence and manipulation, she can do nothing to stop… read analysis of Emily Westover

Stefanie Westover

Tyler’s wife. A kind woman who slowly, over the years, helps him to see that “normal” ways of life, such as immunization and other things forbidden to the Westovers, are not evil. Over the… read analysis of Stefanie Westover

Erin

One of Shawn’s old girlfriends. Tara writes to her once they’re both older in hopes of finding “evidence” of Shawn’s abusive personality that others can corroborate—Erin tells Tara a story about a time when… read analysis of Erin

Robin

One of Tara’s second-year roommates at BYU. A “tall and athletic” girl who intuits Tara’s naivete and gently helps her adjust to living in an apartment with several roommates. She cares for Tara, comforting… read analysis of Robin

Minor Characters

Kami Westover

Richard’s wife. Though Kami is a Mormon, Gene and the other Westovers see her as an “outsider”—she lives a life that is “normal” (and thus morally degraded) by the Westovers’ standards, a life that includes visits to doctors and hospitals.

Angie

Faye’s younger sister who lives in town close to Tara’s Grandma-over-in-town and Grandpa-over-in-town. Though things between Angie and the other Westovers are difficult because of Gene’s cruelty and paranoia, Tara pursues a relationship with Angie, and the two develop a friendship.

Mary

One of Tara’s first-year roommates at BYU. Tara sees Mary as more devout than Shannon based on her conservative, modest clothing, but is again shocked when Mary goes shopping on a Sunday and drinks Diet Coke.

Vanessa

One of Tara’s classmates at BYU. Though they bond over being the only freshmen in an advanced history class, but their friendship is halted when Vanessa is outraged over Tara’s ignorance about the Holocaust—an event whose existence Tara never even knew about before hearing it discussed in class.

Dr. Runciman

One of Tara’s professors and mentors during her advanced education at Cambridge.

Jenni

One of Tara’s second-year roommates at BYU. Though she cares for Tara and senses she is in a lot of pain, she doesn’t know how to help her.

Megan

One of Tara’s second-year roommates at BYU. She is contemptuous of Tara and skeptical of her poor personal hygiene.

Tony Westover

The eldest of Tara’s brothers.

Debbie

One of Faye’s estranged sisters who shows Tyler and Tara kindness and welcomes them to be a part of her family.

Shannon

One of Tara’s first-year roommates at BYU. Tara is shocked by Shannon’s “immoral” outfits.

Sadie

One of Shawn’s girlfriends, whom he treats terribly. Sadie is the victim of Shawn’s stalking as well as physical and emotional abuse, and yet—out of fear or trauma—remains loyal to Shawn and totally under his control.

Benjamin

Audrey’s husband. He often works for Gene in the scrapyard and on various jobs around town.

Grandpa-down-the-hill

Tara’s paternal grandfather. A “weatherworn” and “rugged” horse wrangler with a “short fuse.”

Grandpa-over-in-town

Tara’s maternal grandfather. A former mailman, his longstanding government job inspires Gene’s derision and suspicion.

Nick

One of Tara’s college boyfriends.

Drew

One of Tara’s boyfriends, and an academic who studies all over the world. He is the first of Tara’s boyfriends in whom she confides the full story of her past in Idaho.

Papa Jay Moyle

The kindly owner of a gas station in town.

Myrna Moyle

Papa Jay’s wife. She runs the gas station alongside him.

Mary Moyle

Papa Jay and Myrna’s daughter and a piano instructor in town.

Caroline Moyle

Mary’s sister and a dance instructor in town.

Educated Characters