Eleanor and Park Character Analysis

Eleanor Douglas

Eleanor is one of the novel’s two narrators and protagonists, along with Park. She is fiery, impatient and closed-off because she has been deeply traumatized by years of poverty, abuse, and neglect at the… read analysis of Eleanor Douglas

Park Sheridan

Park is one of the novel’s two narrators and protagonists, along with Eleanor. He is a starry-eyed, sensitive romantic whose quiet demeanor hides a passionate, restless soul. Park is half-Korean and struggles daily with… read analysis of Park Sheridan

Sabrina Douglas

Eleanor’s mother. A beautiful and kind woman whose abusive relationship with her second husband Richie completely dominates her life. Sabrina organizes her days around staying out of Richie’s way and trying to keep him… read analysis of Sabrina Douglas

Richie Trout

Eleanor’s stepfather Richie is the villain of the story. Cruel, abusive, lecherous, and vindictive, Richie seeks to physically and psychologically control Sabrina and all of her children. Eleanor hates Richie with every fiber of… read analysis of Richie Trout

Jamie Sheridan

Park’s father Jamie, a military man, is a mess of contradictions. Straight-laced and strict, Jamie expects a lot of his sons—but seems to genuinely want to help them become good people and succeed. Jamie… read analysis of Jamie Sheridan

Mindy Sheridan

Park’s mother. A Korean woman whose given name is Min-Dae, Mindy is a loving and doting mother who runs a hair salon out of her home. Park is often embarrassed of Mindy because of… read analysis of Mindy Sheridan

Tina

A popular, mean girl at school. Tina makes it her personal mission throughout the school year to berate and humiliate Eleanor at every turn, sticking menstrual pads to her locker and dumping her clothes in… read analysis of Tina

DeNice

A black girl in Eleanor’s gym class, DeNice is wise in spite of her very youthful appearance and kind to Eleanor when no one else is, helping her clean up her locker in the… read analysis of DeNice

Eleanor’s father

Eleanor’s father is never named in the novel—he is not a significant presence in her life, though he also lives in Omaha. Eleanor sees her father as a selfish man with a gambling problem… read analysis of Eleanor’s father

Minor Characters

Josh Sheridan

Park’s younger brother. Park is intensely jealous of Josh, who is tall for his age—taller, even, than Park himself—and who passes for white, while Park does not. Josh is funny and rambunctious, but Park sees Josh as more of a pain than an ally.

Steve

A popular boy at school. Steve, who dates Tina, is huge and monstrously tall. Steve is a bully, and makes fun of less popular kids to cement his own popularity. Park gets into a fight with Steve when Steve mercilessly teases Eleanor—and wins.

Ben Douglas

Eleanor’s 11-year-old younger brother. Ben is solemn and serious, and Eleanor worries that he is lost, confused, and joyless for a boy his age.

Maisie Douglas

Eleanor’s eight-year-old younger sister who has an occasionally sassy personality.

Mouse Douglas

Eleanor’s five-year-old younger brother who reminds Eleanor of “a big, sloppy puppy.” Mouse is traumatized by his mother and stepfather’s abusive relationship and wets the bed almost every night.

“Little” Richie Trout

Eleanor’s youngest brother, a two-year-old toddler. The only one of Eleanor’s siblings with whom she does not share a father.

Matt

Eleanor’s half-brother; her father and Donna’s son.

Donna

Eleanor’s father’s fiancée and Matt’s mother.

Cal

One of Park’s friends at school. A slightly sensitive boy more concerned with social climbing and securing a girlfriend than with maintaining the friendships he already has.

Kim

A pretty, popular girl at school.

Beebi

DeNice’s best friend. A very heavyset black girl who is quiet but kind, with a giggly demeanor in spite of her shyness. Beebi also becomes a close friend of Eleanor’s as the school year unfolds.

Mr. Stessman

Eleanor and Park’s English teacher. An eccentric, passionate man who urges his students to work hard and think critically not just about what they’re studying, but about who they want to be in life.

Mrs. Dunne

The guidance counselor at Eleanor and Park’s high school. A kind woman who takes her students’ issues very seriously.

Dani

A friend Eleanor makes at her new school in Minnesota.

Cat

Park’s prom date.

Eleanor and Park

Rainbow Rowell

Eleanor and Park Characters