Ellen, who is a young girl, lived with her sick mother and alcoholic father. His father was very abusive, both mentally, physically and sexually. He was not the father who read the most history books. His mother suffered from heart problems and was not very functional. Ellen was convinced that her father would kill her and her mother. Ellen's mother took a bunch of pills and Ellen tried to make her throw up. Her father, who is not at all worried, tells Ellen to leave her alone, she will sleep. Ellen wanted to call for help but her father threatened to kill her if she did. So Ellen sat with her mother until she passed away. Ellen overcame her difficulties better than most young girls. She became a hero and became good at survival. She overcame great obstacles and fought against all odds to achieve happiness. The book is a work of fiction that reflects Gibbonsown's life. The story is narrated by Ellen herself. It is unusual for the subject of a story to also tell. Ellen uses different verb tenses, moving back and forth from past to present. Gibbons pointed out that Ellen was afraid that her mother would die when Ellen would lie next to her mother in bed and check. see if she was breathing. This showed that Ellen's fear of losing her mother was intense. Gibbons repeats Ellen's fears that her father will kill her several times in the beginning, as if to recount what happened next. This is how Gibbons constructed the beginning of the story, letting the reader know that they are expecting something. In the novel, Ellen's mother suffered from heart problems. Perhaps Ellen's mother wanted to die because her husband's temper was so wicked. When Ellen was sitting with her mother... middle of paper... the girl overcomes them and directs her life to a place where she wants to be. It is recommended reading for any young girl or boy as well as for all adults facing difficulties of any type. Ellen's character can be any little girl or boy in any small town who needs reassurance that life can be whatever you make it. Works Cited Gibbons, Kaye. Ellen Foster. North Carolina, 1987. Print.Groover, Kristina K. “Re-visioning the Wilderness: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Ellen Foster.” » Southern Quarterly 37.3/4 (1999): 187. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Internet. March 21, 2011. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. Kaye Gibbons: A Literary Companion. North Carolina, 2007. PrintWood, Ralph C. "Courage and Grace in the Novels of Kaye Gibbons. (cover story)." ChristianCentury 109.27 (1992): 842. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Internet. March 21. 2011.