Ella is a black woman who was locked up by a white father and son, who abused her. She is a friend of Sethe, but abandons Sethe after she kills her child. At the end of the novel, though, she organizes the group of women who come to rescue Sethe from Beloved.
Ella Quotes in Beloved
The Beloved quotes below are all either spoken by Ella or refer to Ella. 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:
).
Part 3, Chapter 26
Quotes
Yet [Denver] knew Sethe’s greatest fear was...that Beloved might leave.... Leave before Sethe could make her realize that far worse than [death]...was what Baby Suggs died of, what Ella knew, what Stamp saw and what made Paul D tremble. That anybody white could take your whole self for anything that came to mind. Not just work, kill, or maim you, but dirty you. Dirty you so bad you couldn’t like yourself anymore. Dirty you so bad you forgot who you were and couldn’t think it up.
Related Characters:
Sethe, Denver, Baby Suggs, Paul D, Beloved, Stamp Paid, Ella
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Beloved LitChart as a printable PDF.
Ella Character Timeline in Beloved
The timeline below shows where the character Ella appears in Beloved. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Chapter 9
...introduced himself as Stamp Paid and ferried Sethe across the river, where a woman named Ella found her and took her to 124. Once Sethe got there, Baby Suggs took care...
(full context)
Part 1, Chapter 12
...up by a white man and never let outside. She knows a black woman, named Ella, who was similarly locked away and abused by a father and son.
(full context)
Part 2, Chapter 19
...on Sethe’s door, but no one answers. He sees Beloved through a window. He tells Ella that there is a strange woman at 124 and decides to ask Paul D about...
(full context)
Part 3, Chapter 26
...Yo Service” written on it. After Denver leaves, the news of Beloved spreads around town. Ella convinces the townswomen that they need to help Sethe.
(full context)
