Characters / Eleanor & Park

Eleanor and Park

Eleanor Douglas

Eleanor is a 16-year-old girl who just moved back in with her mom, stepfather, and siblings in a new house. She comes in to her new school as an outsider, but slowly changes her view of herself after she becomes friends with the boy she sits next to on the bus. Although she’s rather cynical, it’s because she’s learned to be scared and quiet from her abusive stepfather.

• Abusive Dad: Her stepfather is easily one of the worst assholes in contemporary YA.
• Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Inverted example as Eleanor is the more cynical one while Park tends to be more of a Nice Guy.
• Broken Bird: And how. Her family is a mess, her house a living hell, she has severe self-esteem issues and to top it all, she gets constantly bullied. Even after she falls in love with Park, she’s still rather cynical.
• Deadpan Snarker
• Fiery Redhead: Probably her most prominent feature.
• Foster Kid: Spent a year away from her family after her stepfather kicked her out for making noise with a typewriter.
• Jerk with a Heart of Gold: She may come of as this due to her mostly aversive nature when in reality it's just her way to cope with everything; she is actually very soft-hearted.
• Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold
• Oh, Crap!: She gets a big one when Maisie tells her that she and Ben know about Park.
• Red-Headed Heroine
• The Runaway: At the end of the novel she runs away to get away from her abusive stepfather.
• Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Borders on tsundere sometimes, and it takes a long time to lessen, much to Park's frustration.
• The Unfavorite: She’s hated by Richie for fighting back against him, and she believes herself to be this by her mother.

Park Sheridan

Park Sheridan is a typical 16-year-old boy who lives in Omaha, Nebraska with his family. The only thing different between him and his classmates might be that he’s the only person of Korean descent at his high school. He usually tries to stay out of people’s way, but that starts to become impossible for him once he starts to fall for the girl he sits next to on the bus.

• Asian and Nerdy: His nerdiness and lack of interest in stereotypically masculine activities has deemed him an outsider.
• Berserk Button: Making fun of Eleanor will invariably get your face kicked.
• Beware the Nice Ones: He delivered a fantasical Curb-Stomp Battle to a student making fun of Eleanor, being proficient in taekwondo. He also considered killing Eleanor's stepfather after learning exactly how bad he is, but simply kicked dirt in his face instead.
• Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Inverted example as Eleanor is the more cynical one while Park tends to be more of a Nice Guy.
• Character Development: His time with Eleanor encourages him to start standing out more in his appearance, from wearing other colors and wearing eyeliner and leaving his hair wild.
• Guyliner: He decides to wear eyeliner to school at one point.
• Hollywood Genetics: Park resembles his mom except he has green eyes. It is extremely unlikely for any half-white and half-Asian person to have green eyes, not only because brown eyes are dominant but also because green eyes are the rarest eye color.
  • On a similar note, Josh is described as completely white-passing with brown hair despite also being half Asian.
• Internalized Categorism: One of his defining character traits is how he hates being Asian because he feels like it makes him emasculated and stand out from the majority white population in Omaha. He just casually accepts whenever his peers make racist comments towards him, and he is jealous of Josh, his younger brother, because he is white-passing. At one point, he has a conversation with Eleanor about how he doesn't believe there are any attractive Asian men. He never gets over his self-hatred even at the end of the novel, and the fact that his mother assimilated herself doesn't help at all either.
• Nice Guy: It takes patience to stand a Broken Bird, and Park managed to keep his cool. Mostly.
• Real Men Wear Pink: He starts wearing eyeliner to school after realizing he likes the way it looks.
• Understanding Boyfriend: Park never wants to leave Eleanor because of how she's different from others, and instead wants her to trust that he is this trope.

Eleanor's family

Richie Trout

The main antagonist of the novel, he is Eleanor and her siblings stepfather and the father of her youngest brother. He beats their mother and harasses the kids, especially Eleanor. He’s also a sexual predator.

• Abusive Parents: Is one to the kids, especially Eleanor. He emotionally and verbally abuses them, and once kicked Eleanor out for an entire year.
• Alcoholic Parent: Is constantly drinking and goes to the bar regularly.
• Domestic Abuse: Beats and verbally abuses Sabrina constantly.
• Hair-Trigger Temper: Anything could potentially piss him off, even a loud typewriter or not having pumpkin pie.
• He Cleans Up Nicely: He’s mentioned to look sort of handsome when he manages to stay sober, take a bath and put on decent clothes at the same time. Eleanor is thankful that it’s rare, as she’s even more disgusted by him when he does.
• Lecherous Stepparent: He’s the one who’s been writing disgusting notes on Eleanor’s textbooks and it’s also revealed that he inappropriately stares at her. It’s also believed that he might be this towards Maisie.
• Meet Cute: Ironically, he and Sabrina met this way: His route to work and Sabrina’s route to the grocery store connected at a certain point, and he saw her walk by and fell in love with her. One day, he asked for her number and said that she was the prettiest woman he’d ever seen.
• Noodle Incident: He was previously married to a woman named Tonya. But we don’t know their relationship or what happened to her. He did name his dog after her, though.
• Parental Abandonment: According to Park’s grandmother, Richie’s parents moved away from him when he was a teenager.
• Parental Favoritism: He seems to have a somewhat better relationship with his younger stepdaughter, Maisie. Until it’s revealed that he may likely be planning to molest her along with Eleanor.
• Winning Over the Kids: Subverted hard. It seems like he’s done this while Eleanor was away, but it’s implied that he did it with threats, bullying and intimidation rather than kindness. While Ben, Maisie and Mouse call him Dad and seem to like him, it may be more out of fear than affection.

Sabrina Douglas

Sabrina is the mother of Eleanor, Ben, Maisie, Mouse and Little Richie. While she loves her children and does her best to provide for them, Richie keeps her under his thumb.

• Absurdly Youthful Mother: Is described as very beautiful, like a queen or a movie star.
• Broken Bird: Has been beaten down by life and Richie’s abuse.
• Domestic Abuse: Is beaten and screamed at by Richie. It’s been going on for so long that she doesn’t even try to stop him or fight back.
• Good Parents: Tries to be this to her children, although she often puts Richie before them. It’s affected her relationship with Eleanor, but it’s shown that they used to be close.
• Housewife: She’s never held down a job, due to lack of experience and access to child care.
• Love Martyr: She constantly risks her and her children’s well-being for Richie, and does everything for him from making him good food to giving him space. He doesn’t appreciate it and in turn treats her like shit.
• Married Too Young: Implied to be a major reason why she and Eleanor’s father divorced.
• Meet Cute: In a major example of Irony, she met Richie this way.
• Remarrying for Your Kids: Implied to be part of the reason why she married Richie.
• Shotgun Wedding: Implied between herself and Eleanor’s father.
• Struggling Single Mother: A downplayed version between her divorce of Eleanor’s father and her marriage to Richie. But unlike other examples of this trope, remarriage only made things worse.
• Supreme Chef: Is a talented cook when she has proper food to work with.
• Teen Pregnancy: A conversation between her and Richie heavily implies that she had Eleanor in high school with her first husband.
• Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: She’s a stunning woman in her thirties married to a younger man who’s described as “the human version of a rat.”

Ben Douglas

Eleanor’s younger brother and the oldest son in the family, he’s an introvert with an interest in toy cars.

• Birthday Episode: His 12th birthday takes place offscreen in December, around the time of Eleanor and Park’s major fight.
• Blackmail: Alongside Maisie, he convinces Eleanor to let him read her borrowed comics in exchange for keeping Park a secret from their mother.
• Primal Fear: He has a fear of basements and creepy creatures such as snakes and bugs. So he’s less than thrilled about Richie making him sleep there after his birthday.
• "Well Done, Son" Guy: While his younger sister and brother also idealize their distant biological father (his older sister has long since given up on him), Ben in particular wants to spend time with him the most, as he constantly threatened to go live with him when Richie first came around and suggested to Eleanor to have him tag along the next him she was called to babysit.

Maisie Douglas

Eleanor’s little sister, a somewhat angry eight (later nine) year old girl. She has an interest in music.

• Annoying Younger Sibling: Butts heads with Eleanor the most out of the siblings. It’s implied that she’s still angry towards her older sister for leaving them for a year.
• Blackmail: Alongside Ben, she convinces Eleanor to let her use some of the makeup Mindy gave her in exchange for not telling their mother about Park.
• Dreadful Musician: Is absolutely terrible at playing her keyboard. Justified, because she’s only nine.
• Troubled Child: Has anger issues due to her bad home life and “fights like a street person”, according to Eleanor.

Mouse/Jeremiah Douglas

Eleanor’s second younger brother, a five year old who has boundless energy despite their circumstances.

• Annoying Younger Sibling: Out of Eleanor’s brothers and sisters, he fits this trope the most. He often bugs and fights with Ben.
• Cheerful Child: Is upbeat and silly, except when his mother and stepfather fight.
• Informed Attribute: According to Eleanor, he refuses to wear a shirt.
• Only Known by Their Nickname: Is called Mouse for reasons Eleanor can’t remember. The audience doesn’t know his real name, Jeremiah until Eleanor opens up to Park about her family on Christmas Eve.
• The Unfavorite: After Eleanor, he’s Richie’s least favorite.

"Little" Richie Douglas

Eleanor’s youngest brother and the two year old son of Sabrina and Richie. Eleanor isn’t very close to him, calling him “the baby.”

• Babies Make Everything Better: Averted. His birth did not help his father be nicer or bring the family together. In fact, his existence is one of the reasons why Sabrina won’t leave Richie.
• The Baby of the Bunch: Is the youngest of the five Douglas children.
• The Voiceless: We never hear him speak, despite his age.

Eleanor’s Dad

Eleanor, Ben, Maisie and Mouse’s unnamed father, who invites Eleanor over to his home to babysit his fiancé’s toddler son. While he claims to love her, Eleanor knows otherwise.

• Cool Car: Is fond of these. He constantly buys and sells them depending on the financial situation. It also may have contributed to Sabrina divorcing him.
• Drives Like Crazy: Is an awful driver.
• Lonely Bachelor Pad: His house after he moved out of the family home used to be this, complete with once serving Eleanor clam chowder in a highball glass due to not having enough bowls for soup and only having two towels. But by the time Eleanor shows up to babysit, it’s become far nicer and filled with things Eleanor’s house doesn’t have.
• Shotgun Wedding: Implied with him and Eleanor’s mother, who got pregnant in high school.
• The Ghost: He is never actually seen in the book. Everything we know about him comes from off-screen details.
• The Stoner: Still does pot, despite being in his thirties and a parent of four children. Eleanor believes that’s what he did on his weekends with her and her siblings instead of spending time with them.
• Unnamed Parent: Is the only character in the entire book without any name. Even his fiancé and stepson are given names, but he’s only called “her/your father” or Dad. Although this could be a deliberate example to show how little of a presence he has in his family’s life.

Park's family

Mindy/Min-Dae Sheridan

Park's mother, an immigrant from Korea. She works from home as a hairdresser and Avon saleswoman. She’s also very happy in her marriage in contrast to Sabrina. While she’s awkward around Eleanor at first, they soon become friendly.

• '80s Hair: Her hair is described as a tall perm with spiral curls.
• Happily Married: Is very much in love with Jamie.
• Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: She’s much smaller than her husband and is the the same height as Park, who is rather short for his age.
• Massive Numbered Siblings: Is the oldest of seven children. She doesn’t talk about them or her life in Korea much, but the sight of Eleanor and her own big family gets her to open up about them.
• You No Take Candle: Speaks in fairly broken English. It’s unclear how broken it is, as in Park’s perspective it’s more closer to this trope. But in Eleanor’s perspective, it’s more downplayed.

Jamie Sheridan

Park’s father, a loving but gruff man. He grew up in the neighborhood and was stationed in Korea during the Vietnam War, where he met and married Mindy. He tries to get along with his son and makes his house a safe place for Eleanor.

• Celebrity Resemblance: Eleanor describes him as looking like Tom Selleck.
• Dad the Veteran: Was in Korea after his brother was killed in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He met Mindy there, and she moved back to Omaha with him.
• Everyone Went to School Together: He grew up with Eleanor’s stepfather Richie, although they’re not the same age. While he doesn’t get into detail, it’s implied that they didn’t get along.
• Foil: is one to Eleanor’s biological father. While both are rather handsome middle-aged men, the former loves Park (but has a hard time showing it) while the latter barely cares about Eleanor.
• Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: He is much larger than his wife. At one point, the two of them are compared to Paul Bunyan and an It's a Small World doll respectively.
• Jock Dad, Nerd Son: He and Park are the poster child of this trope.
• Papa Wolf: Along with being one for his sons, he bonds with Eleanor and grows concerned for her safety. When he learns about Richie’s abuse, it’s implied that he considers taking his rifle and confronting him, but doesn’t go through with it. Instead, he gives Park supplies to bring Eleanor to her uncle’s house and gives him permission to let her stay at their house as a Plan B in case her uncle can’t help her.

Josh Sheridan

Park’s little brother, who’s around the same age as Eleanor’s brother Ben. Unlike Park, he’s more of a jock and takes after their dad.

• Annoying Younger Sibling: He can be quite the pest.
• Big Little Brother: Is taller than Park despite their age gap.
• Offscreen Romance: In the third act, he gets his own girlfriend in a girl named Bonnie, but she’s never seen.
• Poor Communication Kills: Him being unaware that his brother’s relationship with is Eleanor is a Secret Relationship on her end results in revealing it to her siblings Ben and Maisie, who confront Eleanor soon after.
• Sibling Rivalry: Park feels as if Jamie favors Josh over him.

Teachers and classmates

Tina

The most popular girl in school, she immediately dislikes Eleanor upon meeting her and becomes her main bully. She’s also Steve’s girlfriend and is friendly towards Park....because they used to date in middle school.

• Alpha Bitch: Is a classic version of this trope.
• Amicable Exes: Is friends towards Park, even after their breakup. However, it’s hinted that she still has a crush on him.
• '80s Hair: Shares the same hairstyle as Park’s mother.
• Elopement: Elopes with Steve a few months after Eleanor leaves to her uncle’s house.
• Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: Barely breaks five feet compared to the giant Steve, even with her massive hair.
• The Nicknamer: Gives Eleanor all of her mean nicknames such as “Bozo”, “Bloody Mary” “Big Red” and “Raghead”.
• "Not So Different" Remark: When she and Steve are helping Eleanor hide from Richie, Steve mentions that her stepfather is also a jerk. Although it’s unclear if he’s abusive or just a Jerkass.

Steve

A popular boy dating Tina. He’s friends with Park, although his bullying of Eleanor drives a wedge between them.

• The Big Guy: Is the tallest character in the entire cast, including the adults.
• Huge Guy, Tiny Girl: is this with Tina.
• Took a Level in Kindness: Is more civil to Eleanor after the fight with Park. Although it’s more out of respect towards him than her.

Beebi

One of Eleanor’s friends at school, she bonds with her after a bullying incident with Tina. She’s fat like Eleanor, but more secure in her body.

• Big Beautiful Woman: While her size isn’t touched upon, she’s stated to be bigger than Eleanor. Beebi has a custom made gym suit while Eleanor (barely) fits into the school’s largest size.
• Fat and Skinny: Is fat to De Nice’s skinny.
• Nice Girl: Is friendly and helpful to Eleanor.
• Sassy Black Woman: She always giggles in response to anything De Nice says.

De Nice

Beebi’s best friend and friend of Eleanor, she encourages Eleanor to come out of her shell.

• Fat and Skinny: Is skinny to Beebi's and Eleanor’s fat.
• High-School Sweethearts: Is engaged to her boyfriend, Jonesy. He’s graduated and works as an assistant manager at a grocery store. They plan to marry once she’s legal.
• Magical Negro: She does not have a life outside of Eleanor, and only exists to give her advice and to make snide comments about others.
• Sassy Black Woman: She regularly makes sassy wisecracks which always makes Beebi giggle.

Cal

Park’s best friend, a lanky and cheerful guy. He mainly exists in the story to give Park someone to talk to besides Eleanor and his family.

• Beta Couple: Becomes one with Kim in the third act, but they don’t interact with the main couple.
• Disappeared Dad: His parents are divorced and he lives with his mother.
• Nice Guy: One of the nicest students at the high school.
• Satellite Character: His presence in the story is limited and we don’t know much about him besides his relationships with Park and his Love Interest, Kim.
• Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: A non married variant with Kim. While he’s by no means unattractive, she’s a total knockout.

Mr. Stessman

The protagonists’s Honors English teacher, he is a cheerful and energetic (although embarrassing) man who tries to encourage his students to enjoy reading.

• Cool Teacher: Tries to be one to his students. Park mostly finds him embarrassing.
• Expy: Is one for Mr. Keating from Dead Poets Society
• Large Ham: Can be rather dramatic.
• Nice Guy: A kind man and one of the few people at school who’s nice to Eleanor.