Ken Character Analysis in Hillbilly Elegy

Bev’s boss at a dialysis center. Bev met Ken while she was still dating Matt, and several months later decided to marry him. For a brief period, J.D. went to live with Ken and his three children, but the relationship didn’t last long, partially (but certainly not completely) because J.D. didn’t get along with his new stepsiblings.

Ken Character Timeline in Hillbilly Elegy

The timeline below shows where the character Ken appears in Hillbilly Elegy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Upward Mobility and Personal Agency Theme Icon

...dialysis center, who had asked her out to dinner the week before. His name was Ken, and his house was the fourth one J.D. had lived in in just two years. (full context)

One of Ken’s three children fought with Bev, meaning that—because of hillbilly loyalty—he also had to fight with... (full context)

...urine because he’d smoked pot in the past several weeks (pot that he’d found at Ken’s house). She told him that this wouldn’t show up in a drug test, also saying,... (full context)