The One and Only Ivan

by

Katherine Applegate

Stella Character Analysis

Stella is an old elephant who is one of Ivan’s closest friends at the Big Top Mall. She lives in the domain next to Ivan’s and performs in the mall’s thrice-daily shows. Ivan describes her as very old, wise, and trustworthy. She’s able to see that humans are capable of both good and evil, and she suggests that zoos are places where humans “make amends” for the horrible things they’ve done to animals. Before Mack purchased Stella, she was a part of a circus. There, she suffered an injury when she fell off a stool, and her foot never healed correctly after the accident. This is why the circus sold her to Mack. In the present, Stella’s foot acts up and gets reinfected regularly, so Ivan suspects that she’s often in pain and feels unwell. When Stella learns that Mack is purchasing a baby elephant named Ruby for the mall, she’s distraught—though Stella tries not to let on that she’s unhappy and in pain, she doesn’t want to see another elephant have to suffer through what she has experienced. She cares for Ruby once Ruby arrives, and the two become extremely close. However, not long after Ruby’s arrival, Stella’s foot infection flares up, she becomes extremely ill, and she ultimately dies. Before her death, Stella asks Ivan to promise her that he’ll try to help Ruby live a better life. Ivan’s love of and respect for Stella means that he agrees—and he’s successful. When Ruby expresses fear or uncertainty about going to the zoo, Ivan reminds her that Stella would want her to go, as that’s Ruby’s only option to live somewhere where she won’t suffer abuse.

Stella Quotes in The One and Only Ivan

The The One and Only Ivan quotes below are all either spoken by Stella or refer to Stella. 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:
Animal Abuse and Human Cruelty Theme Icon
).
hello—the littlest big top on earth Quotes

The freeway billboard has a drawing of Mack in his clown clothes and Stella on her hind legs and an angry animal with fierce eyes and unkempt hair.

That animal is supposed to be me, but the artist made a mistake. I am never angry.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ivan (speaker), Stella, Stella, Mack, Mack
Related Symbols: The Billboard
Page Number: 9
Explanation and Analysis:
gone—the beetle Quotes

“You could try remembering a good day,” Stella suggests. “That’s what I do when I can’t sleep.”

Stella remembers every moment since she was born: every scent, every sunset, every slight, every victory.

“You know I can’t remember much,” I say.

“There’s a difference,” Stella says gently, “between ‘can’t remember’ and ‘won’t remember.’”

“That’s true,” I admit. Not remembering can be difficult, but I’ve had a lot of time to work on it.

“Memories are precious,” Stella adds. “They help tell us who we are.”

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Stella (speaker), Tag
Page Number: 53
Explanation and Analysis:
change—worry Quotes

“A good zoo,” Stella says, “is a large domain. A wild cage. A safe place to be. It has room to roam and humans who don’t hurt.” She pauses, considering her words. “A good zoo is how humans make amends.”

Related Characters: Stella (speaker), Ivan, Ruby, Bob, Mack, Maya/The Woman
Related Symbols: The Claw-Stick
Page Number: 64
Explanation and Analysis:

I’ve heard the Jambo story many times. Stella says that humans found it odd that the huge silverback didn’t kill the boy.

Why, I wonder, was that so surprising? The boy was young, scared, alone.

He was, after all, just another great ape.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Stella, Bob, Mack
Related Symbols: The Billboard
Page Number: 67
Explanation and Analysis:

“The circus trainers chained her to the floor, Ivan. All four feet. Twenty-three hours a day.”

I puzzle over why this would be a good idea. I always try to give humans the benefit of the doubt.

“Why would they do that?” I finally ask.

“To break her spirit,” Stella says. “So she could learn to balance on a pedestal. So she could stand on her hind legs. So a dog could jump on her back while she walked in mindless circles.”

I hear her tired voice and think of all the tricks Stella has learned.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Stella (speaker), Ruby, Mack, Snickers
Page Number: 78
Explanation and Analysis:

“Bad humans killed my family, and bad humans sent me here. But that day in the hole, it was humans who saved me.” Ruby leans her head on Stella’s shoulder. “Those humans were good.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Bob says. “I just don’t understand them. I never will.”

“You’re not alone,” I say, and I turn my gaze back to the racing gray clouds.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ruby (speaker), Bob (speaker), Stella, Mack, Julia
Page Number: 105
Explanation and Analysis:

“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.”

Related Characters: George (speaker), George (speaker), Stella, Mack, Mack, Julia
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis:
a new beginning—another ivan Quotes

“Do you think,” she asks, “that I’ll die in this domain someday, like Aunt Stella?”

Once again I consider lying, but when I look at Ruby, the half-formed words die in my throat. “Not if I can help it,” I say instead.

I feel something tighten in my chest, something dark and hot. “And it’s not a domain,” I add.

I pause, and then I say it. “It’s a cage.”

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ivan (speaker), Ruby (speaker), Ruby (speaker), Stella, Stella
Page Number: 165
Explanation and Analysis:

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.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ruby, Stella, Mack, George
Related Symbols: The Billboard
Page Number: 173
Explanation and Analysis:
days—finally Quotes

During the last show of the day, Ruby seems tired. When she stumbles, Mack reaches for the claw-stick.

I tense, waiting for her to strike back.

Ruby doesn’t even flinch. She just keeps plodding along, and after a while, Snickers jumps onto her back.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ivan (speaker), Ruby, Ruby, Stella, Stella, Mack, Mack, Snickers, Snickers
Related Symbols: The Claw-Stick
Page Number: 193
Explanation and Analysis:
the next morning—photo Quotes

“Do you think the other gorillas will like you?” Ruby asks.

“I’m a silverback, Ruby. A leader.” I pull back my shoulders and hold my head high. “They don’t have to like me. They have to respect me.”

Even as I tell her this, I wonder if I can ever command their respect.

I haven’t had much practice being a real gorilla, much less a silverback.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ruby (speaker), Stella, Mack
Page Number: 252
Explanation and Analysis:
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Stella Quotes in The One and Only Ivan

The The One and Only Ivan quotes below are all either spoken by Stella or refer to Stella. 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:
Animal Abuse and Human Cruelty Theme Icon
).
hello—the littlest big top on earth Quotes

The freeway billboard has a drawing of Mack in his clown clothes and Stella on her hind legs and an angry animal with fierce eyes and unkempt hair.

That animal is supposed to be me, but the artist made a mistake. I am never angry.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ivan (speaker), Stella, Stella, Mack, Mack
Related Symbols: The Billboard
Page Number: 9
Explanation and Analysis:
gone—the beetle Quotes

“You could try remembering a good day,” Stella suggests. “That’s what I do when I can’t sleep.”

Stella remembers every moment since she was born: every scent, every sunset, every slight, every victory.

“You know I can’t remember much,” I say.

“There’s a difference,” Stella says gently, “between ‘can’t remember’ and ‘won’t remember.’”

“That’s true,” I admit. Not remembering can be difficult, but I’ve had a lot of time to work on it.

“Memories are precious,” Stella adds. “They help tell us who we are.”

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Stella (speaker), Tag
Page Number: 53
Explanation and Analysis:
change—worry Quotes

“A good zoo,” Stella says, “is a large domain. A wild cage. A safe place to be. It has room to roam and humans who don’t hurt.” She pauses, considering her words. “A good zoo is how humans make amends.”

Related Characters: Stella (speaker), Ivan, Ruby, Bob, Mack, Maya/The Woman
Related Symbols: The Claw-Stick
Page Number: 64
Explanation and Analysis:

I’ve heard the Jambo story many times. Stella says that humans found it odd that the huge silverback didn’t kill the boy.

Why, I wonder, was that so surprising? The boy was young, scared, alone.

He was, after all, just another great ape.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Stella, Bob, Mack
Related Symbols: The Billboard
Page Number: 67
Explanation and Analysis:

“The circus trainers chained her to the floor, Ivan. All four feet. Twenty-three hours a day.”

I puzzle over why this would be a good idea. I always try to give humans the benefit of the doubt.

“Why would they do that?” I finally ask.

“To break her spirit,” Stella says. “So she could learn to balance on a pedestal. So she could stand on her hind legs. So a dog could jump on her back while she walked in mindless circles.”

I hear her tired voice and think of all the tricks Stella has learned.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Stella (speaker), Ruby, Mack, Snickers
Page Number: 78
Explanation and Analysis:

“Bad humans killed my family, and bad humans sent me here. But that day in the hole, it was humans who saved me.” Ruby leans her head on Stella’s shoulder. “Those humans were good.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Bob says. “I just don’t understand them. I never will.”

“You’re not alone,” I say, and I turn my gaze back to the racing gray clouds.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ruby (speaker), Bob (speaker), Stella, Mack, Julia
Page Number: 105
Explanation and Analysis:

“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.”

Related Characters: George (speaker), George (speaker), Stella, Mack, Mack, Julia
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis:
a new beginning—another ivan Quotes

“Do you think,” she asks, “that I’ll die in this domain someday, like Aunt Stella?”

Once again I consider lying, but when I look at Ruby, the half-formed words die in my throat. “Not if I can help it,” I say instead.

I feel something tighten in my chest, something dark and hot. “And it’s not a domain,” I add.

I pause, and then I say it. “It’s a cage.”

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ivan (speaker), Ruby (speaker), Ruby (speaker), Stella, Stella
Page Number: 165
Explanation and Analysis:

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.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ruby, Stella, Mack, George
Related Symbols: The Billboard
Page Number: 173
Explanation and Analysis:
days—finally Quotes

During the last show of the day, Ruby seems tired. When she stumbles, Mack reaches for the claw-stick.

I tense, waiting for her to strike back.

Ruby doesn’t even flinch. She just keeps plodding along, and after a while, Snickers jumps onto her back.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ivan (speaker), Ruby, Ruby, Stella, Stella, Mack, Mack, Snickers, Snickers
Related Symbols: The Claw-Stick
Page Number: 193
Explanation and Analysis:
the next morning—photo Quotes

“Do you think the other gorillas will like you?” Ruby asks.

“I’m a silverback, Ruby. A leader.” I pull back my shoulders and hold my head high. “They don’t have to like me. They have to respect me.”

Even as I tell her this, I wonder if I can ever command their respect.

I haven’t had much practice being a real gorilla, much less a silverback.

Related Characters: Ivan (speaker), Ruby (speaker), Stella, Mack
Page Number: 252
Explanation and Analysis: