Ellen Foster Essay, Research Paper

The effect on Ellen in her biological family has been a devastating experience. From an early age Ellen avoided her father

whenever possible. With no father to talk to and a mother who frequently visited the hospital, Ellen was forced to spend lots

of time at her friend Starletta’s house. After her mother died from a drug overdose and her father drank himself to death,

Ellen was juggled from family to family. She lived with her art teacher Julia and her husband Roy, then her Aunt and then her

grandma. Ellen’s grandma hated her. She would always call Ellen a nigger and blame her Ellen’s mothers’ death on her. Her

grandma put her to work in a cotton field, forcing her to work long hours without pay. After her grandma died Ellen went to

live with her Aunt Nadine and her daughter Dora. Ellen hated them. On Christmas Ellen painted them a picture and when

Ellen could still hear them they blatantly said to each other that they would hang it up until she left and then they would take

it down. That night Ellen ran away and went to the “Fosters house.” After that it was all uphill, but she will never forget her

horrible childhood.