Lullaby Characters

Ayah is an elderly Navajo woman living in New Mexico. She is married to Chato and is the mother of Jimmie, Danny, and Ella, though she has had other children who remain… read analysis of Ayah

Chato is an elderly Navajo man, married to Ayah. He is the father of Jimmie, Danny, and Ella. In flashbacks, he is employed by the rancher and spends his days herding… read analysis of Chato

Jimmie is the son of Ayah and Chato, and the brother of Danny and Ella. As a young man, he served in the United States Army and died in a helicopter crash, and… read analysis of Jimmie

Ayah’s mother is unnamed but appears in a few flashbacks. Alongside Ayah’s grandmother, she teaches Ayah to weave warm blankets out of wool. She is the first person Ayah turns to when she is giving… read analysis of Ayah’s Mother

Ella is Ayah and Chato’s daughter and Danny and Jimmie’s sister. Like Danny, she is taken by white doctors who claim she has inherited a genetic disease. Ella is only a toddler when she is… read analysis of Ella

The rancher is Chato’s employer. He owns the land where Ayah, Chato, Danny, and Ella live. A miser and a racist, the rancher does not pay Chato when he breaks his leg and… read analysis of The Rancher

The white doctors are two white men who take Danny and Ella away from Ayah and Chato, claiming the children have inherited a genetic disease from their grandmother. Though they can see Ayah does… read analysis of The White Doctors

The bar owner owns the establishment where Chato and Ayah cash their welfare checks and buy wine. A racist man, he does not like Natives coming into his bar, but he lets Chato in because… read analysis of The Bar Owner