The One and Only Ivan

by

Katherine Applegate

Helen Character Analysis

Helen was Mack’s wife; she only appears in the novel in Ivan’s stories of his early life, as she left Mack about 27 years before the novel begins. Ivan describes her as kind, but quick to anger. Unwittingly, Helen was the human to remind Ivan that he wanted to be an artist when she brought home a still life painting of fruit in a bowl.
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Helen Character Timeline in The One and Only Ivan

The timeline below shows where the character Helen appears in The One and Only Ivan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
the promise—a visit
Animal Abuse and Human Cruelty Theme Icon
Kindness Theme Icon
Memory and Storytelling Theme Icon
...did everything human babies do: he wore diapers, drank bottles, and broke things. Mack’s wife, Helen, got angry when Ivan broke things, including his crib, lamps, a couch, glassware, a blender,... (full context)
Art and Self-Expression Theme Icon
still life. One day, Helen came home with a painting of fruit in a bowl. She called it a still... (full context)
Kindness Theme Icon
Family, Friendship, and Identity Theme Icon
beds. Ivan says that after weeks of “loud talking,” Helen packed her things and left the house. She didn’t come back, and Ivan doesn’t know... (full context)