Eleanor’s boss. Eleanor thinks he hired her because he felt bad for her—she arrived at the interview after with a black eye, missing teeth, and a broken arm—and for much of the book he maintains a stable but impersonal relationship with her, as Eleanor’s offbeat humor has a distancing effect on others. Bob offers Eleanor a promotion midway through the novel, but her depression requires her to take a leave of absence before she can assume her new responsibilities. Bob’s genuine, understanding response to Eleanor’s depression convinces Eleanor that her coworkers truly care about her.
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Bob Character Timeline in Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
The timeline below shows where the character Bob appears in Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Good Days: Chapter 1
...and has been at her current job since she was 21. She believes the owner, Bob, hired her because he felt sorry for her: she’d shown up to her interview with...
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Good Days: Chapter 19
Back at work, Bob calls Eleanor to his office and awkwardly tells her that her hair looks nice. Eleanor...
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Eleanor is disgusted by Raymond’s sloppy eating, but she ignores it and brings up Bob’s offer to promote her to office manager. Raymond stops eating and congratulates Eleanor. They weigh...
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Good Days: Chapter 22
...new promotion gives her a renewed sense of purpose at her job. She works with Bob more often now, and he fills her in on more details about the business and...
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Good Days: Chapter 23
...herself in classics studies or was otherwise occupied with Declan, and she began working for Bob immediately after graduating.
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Bad Days: Chapter 26
...are hurting. She recalls a woman in the office when she first started working for Bob. The woman’s sister had ovarian cancer, and she spent most of her time caring for...
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Bad Days: Chapter 27
...past week. When she didn’t show up to work for three days, everyone was concerned. Bob gave Raymond Eleanor’s home address. Raymond arrived at Eleanor’s apartment and found Eleanor preparing to...
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Bad Days: Chapter 39
A pleasant phone call with Bob gives Eleanor the confidence she needs to return to work. She dresses in a new...
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Bob greets Eleanor with an embrace and a kiss on the cheek. They go through the...
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