Erasure Character Analysis

Thelonious “Monk” Ellison

Thelonious “Monk” Ellison is Erasure’s protagonist and narrator. He is a professor of English and a writer who has published several well-received novels, though he struggles to achieve much commercial success in an industry… read analysis of Thelonious “Monk” Ellison

Stagg R. Leigh

Stagg R. Leigh is the pseudonym under which Monk pens My Pafology, which he later retitles Fuck. Ashamed at the thought of others deeming him a sell-out, Monk decides to play the part… read analysis of Stagg R. Leigh

Mother

Monk’s mother lives in Washington, D.C., in the house she raised her children in. Her husband—Monk’s father—died seven years before the novel’s present. Mother displays early signs of Alzheimer’s disease that worsen… read analysis of Mother

Lorraine

Lorraine is the Ellison family’s longtime housekeeper—she’s worked for the family since before Monk was born. Although Monk knows he must move Mother into a care facility due to her worsening Alzheimer’s symptoms, he feels… read analysis of Lorraine

Lisa

Lisa is Monk’s sister. She’s a doctor at a clinic that provides reproductive healthcare—including abortions—to underprivileged women. As the only sibling still living in D.C., Lisa is forced to manage Mother’s care and… read analysis of Lisa

Bill

Bill is Monk’s brother. He lives in Arizona and works as a plastic surgeon. In the novel’s present, Bill is in the middle of a messy divorce, the consequence of his wife finding out… read analysis of Bill

Father

Monk’s father, Benjamin Ellison, was a doctor who died several years before the novel’s present. Father held his children to high standards. Though Lisa, Bill, and Monk all grew up to have… read analysis of Father

Kenya Dunston

Kenya Dunston is a talk show host who has Juanita Mae Jenkins on her show to sing the praises of Jenkins’s new novel. She later has Monk (as Stagg R. Leigh) on the show… read analysis of Kenya Dunston

Juanita Mae Jenkins

Juanita Mae Jenkins is a Black author whose debut novel, We’s Lives In Da Ghetto, receives glowing praise from critics and mainstream audiences alike—and immense critical success. Monk loathes the book, Jenkins, and authors… read analysis of Juanita Mae Jenkins

Yul

Yul is Monk’s agent. He is perpetually the bearer of bad news for Monk, whose complex, experimental style of writing is of little interest to major publishing houses or the readership they cater to… read analysis of Yul

Marilyn Tilman

Marilyn Tilman is a woman who lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where the Ellisons own a beach house. Monk meets her when he, Mother, and Lorraine are in town for a final vacation before it’s… read analysis of Marilyn Tilman

Gretchen

Gretchen is Monk’s half-sister. She is the daughter of Fiona, a woman whom Monk’s father had an affair with while serving overseas. Monk’s father lost contact with Fiona and Gretchen after Fiona broke… read analysis of Gretchen

Maynard

Maynard is an older man who works as a guard in the town where the Ellisons own a summer house. He reconnects with Lorraine when she, Monk, and Mother spend a few weeks at… read analysis of Maynard

Wiley Morgenstein

Wiley Morgenstein is a Hollywood producer who meets with Monk (as Stagg R. Leigh) to discuss plans for a film adaptation of My Pafology/Fuck. Morgenstein is caught off guard when “Stagg” comes off… read analysis of Wiley Morgenstein

Tamika Jones

Tamika Jones is a young Black mother whom Monk chats with in the waiting room of Lisa’s clinic. They start chatting about literature after Tamika overhears that Monk is a novelist. Tamika’s insight surprises… read analysis of Tamika Jones

Van Go Jenkins

Van Go Jenkins—who typically goes by Go—is a young Black man who lives in poverty in Los Angeles. He is the protagonist of My Pafology, the novella Monk writes under the pseudonym Stagg R.… read analysis of Van Go Jenkins

Penelope Dalton

Penelope Dalton is a character in My Pafology. She is the daughter of Mr. Dalton, a rich Black whom Go briefly works for. Penelope is the epitome of a spoiled rich kid—she spends… read analysis of Penelope Dalton

Clareece Jenkins (Go’s Mother / Mama)

In My Pafology, Clareece Jenkins (“Mama”) is Van Go’s mother. A single mother, she struggles to provide her children with a good life despite their poverty. She worries that her son is headed… read analysis of Clareece Jenkins (Go’s Mother / Mama)

Cleona

In My Pafology, Cleona is a young woman whom Go has a child with. She and his other “baby mamas” confront Go on the Snookie Cane Show about Go’s failure to pay child support… read analysis of Cleona

Snookie Cane

Snookie Cane, a talk show host, is a character in My Pafology. Monk seems to have loosely modeled her after real-life talk show host Kenya Dunston, on whose show Monk (as Stagg R.… read analysis of Snookie Cane

Mr. Dalton

Mr. Dalton is a character in My Pafology. He is a wealthy Black man who Go briefly works for as a favor from Go’s mother’s friend Lois, who works as Mr. Dalton’s… read analysis of Mr. Dalton

Lois

In My Pafology, Lois is Mr. Dalton’s housekeeper. She’s a good friend of Mama and puts in a good word for Go to do work around Mr. Dalton’s house. She is protective of… read analysis of Lois

Korean Man

The Korean man owns a convenience store in Los Angeles. Go claims the man wrongfully accused him of stealing. After Go gets his hands on a gun, he heads to the Korean man’s store with… read analysis of Korean Man

Roger

In My Pafology, Roger is Penelope’s apparent friend or romantic partner. As Go drives Roger and Penelope around Los Angeles, the couple mocks Go for his poverty, belittling him and undermining his humanity… read analysis of Roger

Tom Wahzetepe

Tom Wahzetepe is a character in one of Monk’s short stories. In the story, he is invited to compete on a trivia game show alongside Hal Dullard, a white man from Indiana who… read analysis of Tom Wahzetepe

Jack Spades

Jack Spades is a character in one of Monk’s short stories. He hosts a trivia game show on which a white man (Hall Dullard) and Black man (Tom Wahzetepe) take… read analysis of Jack Spades

Hal Dullard

Hal Dullard is a character in one of Monk’s short stories. He’s a white man and all-around upstanding citizen from Indiana who is also (as his name suggests) remarkably stupid. In the story, Hal… read analysis of Hal Dullard

Minor Characters

Paula Baderman

Paula Baderman is a senior editor at Random House. Much to Monk’s horror, she and her colleagues sing My Pafology’s praises, declaring the novel “magnificently raw and honest” and promising Monk (as Stagg R. Leigh) $600,000 in advance payments for the manuscript.

Fiona

Fiona is a white woman whom Monk’s father (Benjamin Ellison) had an affair with while serving overseas in Korea. Monk only learns of her existence—and that she and his father had a child together, Gretchen—when he stumbles upon some old love letters after moving back in with Mother.

Linda Mallory

Linda Mallory is a writer and professor whom Monk has had sex with in the past. She calls to solicit him for sex a few times throughout the book, though he usually turns her down.

Wilson Harnet

Wilson Harnet is the chair of the committee selected to judge the submissions for The Book Award. He wrote a book about his wife’s cancer diagnosis. She ended up not dying, though, and divorced him for sharing all their secrets in his book.

Ailene Hoover

Ailene Hoover is an author who has published several critically acclaimed books. She serves on the committee selected to judge the submissions for The Book Award.

Thomas Tomad

Thomas Tomad is an author who serves on the committee selected to judge the submissions for The Book Award. He is also an editor at a publishing house that specializes in the books of incarcerated people serving life sentences.

Jon Paul Sigmarsen

Jon Paul Sigmarsen is an author who hosts a PBS show in Minnesota. He serves on the committee selected to judge the submissions for The Book Award.

Davis Gimbel

Davis Gimbel is a writer who attends the conference alongside Monk. He detests Monk and heckles him after Monk finishes his reading at a conference they both attend, declaring Monk a “mimetic hack.”

Cynthia

Cynthia is Wiley Morgenstein’s “assistant,” though when Monk (as Stagg R. Leigh) meets with them to discuss plans for a film adaptation of My Pafology/Fuck, Monk insinuates that she is more likely Morgenstein’s mistress.

The Skinhead

The skinhead is a relative of Fiona and her daughter Gretchen. He directs Monk to Gretchen’s home—but only after Monk offers to pay him.

Clevon

Clevon is a man Marilyn used to date. The couple is in the process of breaking up when Monk enters Marilyn’s life.

Yvonne

Yvonne is a receptionist at Lisa’s clinic in Washington, D.C.

Willy the Wonker

In My Pafology, Willy the Wonker (alternatively called “Willy the wino”) is a disheveled alcoholic who roams the streets and antagonizes Go, making crass remarks about Go’s mother and insinuating that he is Go’s father. He alternatively belittles Go and urges him to be better.

Tyrell/Jeep

In My Pafology, Tyrell is a “pretty,” rich Black guy whom Cleona is seeing. Go also refers to him derisively as “Jeep” (paired with a racial slur), referencing the vehicle he drives. Go gets into several altercations with Jeep throughout My Pafology.

Yellow

Yellow is one of Go’s friends in My Pafology. He and Go repeatedly get into inane arguments that typically end with each shouting expletives back and forth at the other.

Tito

Tito is one of Go’s friends in My Pafology. He runs with a rough crowd, and Mama, worried about her son, warns Go to stop spending time with him.

Sharinda

In My Pafology, Sharinda is a woman with whom Go has a child. She and his other “baby mamas” confront Go on Snookie Cane’s show about Go’s failure to pay child support.

Robertarina

In My Pafology, Robertarina is a woman whom Go has a child with. She and his other “baby mamas” confront Go on The Snookie Cane Show about Go’s failure to pay child support.

Reynisha

In My Pafology, Reynisha is a woman whom Go has a child with. She and his other “baby mamas” confront Go on The Snookie Cane Show about Go’s failure to pay child support.

Tardreece/Baby Girl

Tardreece is Van Go Jenkins’s sister in My Pafology.

Rexall

In My Pafology, Rexall is Van Go’s child with Cleona. He has (as Go calls it) “Down sinder” (Downs syndrome).

Erasure

Percival Everett

Erasure Characters