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Julia
George is the man who cleans the Big Top Mall every night. He always brings his 10-year-old daughter, Julia, to work with him and leaves her to draw while he cleans. George is a hard worker who cares deeply for the animals at the mall and their wellbeing. However, he also desperately needs his job, as his wife, Sara, is struggling with a chronic illness and he’s the family’s only source of income. Thus, even when George admits that Mack is abusive or neglectful to his animals, he usually doesn’t feel like he’s able to push back and advocate for the animals. However, George does agree to call Mack when Stella’s foot infection flares up—and after she dies as a result of not receiving medical attention, George does speak angrily to Mack. Though George likes Ivan, he seems to agree with Mack that Ivan’s drawings are just scribbles, not depictions of objects or scenes. Because of this, George is initially unwilling to humor Julia when Julia tries to piece together Ivan’s mural. But eventually, George relents, helps Julia assemble the puzzle, and ultimately agrees to put Ivan’s mural on the billboard. While George loses his job at the mall for his role in alerting the media to Ivan and Ruby’s situation, he later gets a job cleaning at the zoo.
George Quotes in The One and Only Ivan
The The One and Only Ivan quotes below are all either spoken by George or refer to George. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
change—worry
Quotes
“Mack says the vet’s coming in the morning if Stella’s not any better,” [George] tells Julia. “He says he’s not going to let her die on him, not after all the money he’s put into her.”
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a new beginning—another ivan
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I stare at the One and Only Ivan, at the faded picture of Stella, and I remember George and Mack on their ladders, adding the picture of Ruby to bring new visitors to the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.
I remember the story Ruby told, the one where the villagers came to her rescue.
I hear Stella’s kind, wise voice: Humans can surprise you sometimes.
I look at my fingers, coated in red paint the color of blood, and I know how to keep my promise.
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days—finally
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I’m ready to show Julia what I’ve made.
It has to be Julia. She’s an artist. Surely she’ll look, truly look, at my painting. She won’t notice the smudges and tears. She won’t care if the pieces don’t quite fit together. She’ll see past all of that.
Surely Julia will see what I’ve imagined.
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Thump. Thump. Thump.
I bounce off the walls. I screech and bellow. I beat and beat and beat my chest.
Bob hides under Not-Tag, his paws over his ears.
I’m angry, at last.
I have someone to protect.
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the next morning—photo
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Mack turns on the TV.
We are on The Early News at Five O’Clock.
Bob says don’t let it go to my head.
There we all are. Mack, Ruby, me. George and Julia. The billboard, the mall, the ring.
And the claw-stick.
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Get the entire The One and Only Ivan LitChart as a printable PDF.
George Quotes in The One and Only Ivan
The The One and Only Ivan quotes below are all either spoken by George or refer to George. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
change—worry
Quotes
“Mack says the vet’s coming in the morning if Stella’s not any better,” [George] tells Julia. “He says he’s not going to let her die on him, not after all the money he’s put into her.”
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Explanation and Analysis:
a new beginning—another ivan
Quotes
I stare at the One and Only Ivan, at the faded picture of Stella, and I remember George and Mack on their ladders, adding the picture of Ruby to bring new visitors to the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.
I remember the story Ruby told, the one where the villagers came to her rescue.
I hear Stella’s kind, wise voice: Humans can surprise you sometimes.
I look at my fingers, coated in red paint the color of blood, and I know how to keep my promise.
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days—finally
Quotes
I’m ready to show Julia what I’ve made.
It has to be Julia. She’s an artist. Surely she’ll look, truly look, at my painting. She won’t notice the smudges and tears. She won’t care if the pieces don’t quite fit together. She’ll see past all of that.
Surely Julia will see what I’ve imagined.
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Thump. Thump. Thump.
I bounce off the walls. I screech and bellow. I beat and beat and beat my chest.
Bob hides under Not-Tag, his paws over his ears.
I’m angry, at last.
I have someone to protect.
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the next morning—photo
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Mack turns on the TV.
We are on The Early News at Five O’Clock.
Bob says don’t let it go to my head.
There we all are. Mack, Ruby, me. George and Julia. The billboard, the mall, the ring.
And the claw-stick.
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