Elatsoe

The opening chapters of Elatsoe are marked by a devastating family tragedy. Trevor Reyes, a young man in his prime with a wife and a newborn baby, has lost his life suddenly and under mysterious circumstances. As his family tries to uncover the truth about his death, they are motivated by their grief and love for their lost loved one. By comparing the grieving processes of Ellie and Lenore, Little Badger reminds the reader that grief can take many forms, and although grief may never go away, it can bring new opportunities and new seasons of life.

When Trevor dies, Ellie refuses to cry over her cousin’s death. She believes that crying will soften her pain, and she “want[s] her current pain to stay sharp. To prod her in the ribs until Trevor [is] avenged” (49). Ellie believes that if she becomes too emotional, she might lose sight of what she must do: protect Trevor’s family and bring justice to his killer. Ellie also knows that if she allows her emotions to get the best of her, she might make a serious mistake and try to wake up Trevor’s ghost. Ellie knows that “it [is] dangerous to speak [Trevor’s] name, see his face, or risk calling him back” (40) because human ghosts are destructive and evil entities. Although Ellie loves and misses her cousin, she tries to detach from her emotions to focus on fulfilling her mission.

Lenore, however, responds to Trevor’s death in a very different way. She abandons her belief that the dead should stay dead and begs Ellie to wake Trevor up. Ellie’s mom reminds her daughter that “people lash out when they’re in pain,” and Lenore is desperate because “[she] [doesn’t] know what else [she] can do” (141) to help her dead husband have a second chance at life. Lenore’s grief pushes her to alter not only her personal beliefs but also her appearance. Ellie notices that “since Trevor died, Lenore [has] not worn her usual plum-colored lipstick, wingtip eyeliner, full-coverage foundation, and golden highlighter” (176). Lenore used to use her makeup as a creative outlet, and that spark of creativity burned out when the love of her life died. Ellie “wonder[s] if the creative spark [will] ever return” (176) or if the loss of her husband will permanently alter Lenore.

Vivian tells Ellie that “people cope with tragedy in different ways” and that there is “no one right method of grieving” (231). Ellie becomes practical and determined in grief, while Lenore becomes emotional and seeks vengeance. In the end, Little Badger offers hope that there can be life after a loss. Lenore has a chance to restart her life with Baby Gregory, and Ellie learns to tap into a power she never knew she had. Grief may not be a comfortable process, but it can help a person grow outside of their comfort zone if they allow it.

Ellie is named after her Six-Great-Grandmother: a legendary monster hunter. Throughout the novel, Ellie compares herself to her ancestor, and other characters often chime in about their similarities (and differences). Ellie grew up hearing stories about Six-Great and wants to make her ancestor proud, but she often feels like she is failing to live up to her name. Little Badger uses the parallel stories of Ellie and Six-Great to point out that family legacies may inspire a deep sense of pride, but young people will still be responsible for making their own decisions and choosing their own paths.

Ellie has high expectations for herself because she lives in the shadow of Six-Great. Ellie believes that because she shares a name and a knack for ghost training with Six-Great, she is obligated to live up to her name and become someone worthy of admiration. Ellie is embarrassed to think that she “traumatized a room full of children and got suspended” when she was 12, while Six-Great “crushed an army of murderous invaders” (81) at the same age. Jay reminds her that Ellie and her ancestor are “an intergenerational team” and that “[Six-Great’s] shadow and [Ellie’s] shadow are the same thing” (111).

After a lifetime of hearing stories of Six-Great’s brave deeds and adventures, Ellie is shocked to learn the truth about how Six-Great died. Her mother explains that Ellie “[isn’t] the only Elatsoe to visit the underworld,” but she is “the only one to return alive” (353). Six-Great dared to journey to the underworld and never returned, and Ellie’s mother tells this story to warn her of what could happen if Ellie doesn’t respect the difference between the living and the dead. Ellie has a choice: respect this boundary and maintain tradition or follow in the steps of her ancestor and risk her life to push the boundaries of tradition.

Early in the novel, Little Badger reveals that Six-Great had a deep love for her dogs, both living and dead. She “always carried a bundle of grinning dolls that rattled like gourds because they had dry mesquite pods in their bellies” because “the dogs never tired of fetch” (71). In the final pages of the novel, Jay and Ellie are perplexed when Kirby brings back an unusual toy from the underworld: a “sock-shaped tube of leather with a smiling face” (507), with “dry mesquite seeds” (508) inside. Although Ellie’s Six-Great-Grandmother lived hundreds of years ago, the doll in her hands signifies her connection to her ancestor. The doll's appearance seems to represent the approval of Six-Great, and although Ellie may not be able to speak to her face-to-face, she is overwhelmed with joy at the thought of having this special bond with the legendary Elatsoe.