The Matureness of Ellen

As a child, have you ever had to buy your own Christmas presents, wrap them and then wake up the next morning to be excited for gifts you already knew about? I for sure know that I have never done this, and when I was young I am pretty sure that I would not have been mature enough to do this. This amazed me, that she was able to do this and handle this. Most children that we can think of, believe in Santa and know that Santa is going to bring them whatever they want for Christmas. Eventually in Ellen's life she went to live with her aunt Nadine and cousin Dora. It came time for Christmas and Ellen was asked what she wanted for Christmas. What she asked for, was all she got! Santa did not bring her surprises or anything special, as Dora said would happen. She simply got a pack of white painting paper. As a young girl Ellen already knew that there was no Santa, and she knew that being mature was important to enjoy Christmas. This is just one thing that Ellen did that amazes me.

Ellen, unlike many children was very, very mature with everything that she had to deal with. At a young age Ellen was faced with a sick mother and a father that did not care, but rather was worried about drinking booze. Ellen experienced three people in her life dying. She was laying with her mother, when her mother died. The county had finally stepped in before her father died, but he was found dead in the house. And her mama's mama died before Ellen's eyes while she was taking care of her. Ellen dealt with making sure the money that was given to her and her father was used for important things such as having food in the house, water, heat, and energy working in the house. Even though Ellen worked through all of this, she had a friend that is of color, but her friends family was very good to her.

Starletta was a younger girl than Ellen, Starletta, Starletta's mom and father lived together in a one room house with the bathroom outside and worked in the fields all day. They were a black family, but this did not bother Ellen to much. She always felt that she couldn't eat after them, or sleep in their beds, or use their bathroom, but over time this changed. At the end of the book Ellen made it clear to all the kids at school that she was Starletta's friend and that it was okay that they were friends.

This book was very interesting to me and I am glad that i read it again. I am pretty sure that I have read it before, but I am also sure that I did not catch some importance that I caught this time of reading it. The author wanted to make sure that it was clearly expressed to the reader all the struggles that Ellen went through but how relaxed she stayed. She knew she needed to get out, and she found a way. But Ellen always knew that she had a true friend that would always be there for her. Starletta was someone that enjoyed hanging out with Ellen and sharing stories that they faced every single day. Starletta was not as lucky as Ellen, but she knew that she had a good momma and father. That is what was important to Starletta. Starletta was a special friend to Ellen, and I hope everyone got the impression that I got from the author sharing with us that no matter color two people can be true friends.

Ellen just amazes me. I do not even think that I can express how Ellen makes me feel through words in this blog. I am amazed that family members of Ellen did not see how strong this girl was. How important it was to her that she was independent. That she dealt with death, three times, while by herself. Ellen just amazes me.