Character Analysis
Ellen is Kapugen's new, loud-talking, gussak wife (gussak means white woman). She's a teacher in the school in Kangik, and tries to be kind to Miyax by suggesting that they can enroll her in the school in town, where she can learn English. Miyax isn't having any of that, though, so when Ellen steps into the kitchen to fix her some food, Miyax slips out the front door.
What does Ellen represent in this book? She's just trying to help our favorite girl-of-the-wild, but she doesn't understand what Miyax wants. Is this the ignorance of civilization? Or is it just an example of two different cultures failing in their interactions?