We All Live Here

Jensen is a primary character. He is also one of Lila’s main love interests and the landscaper whom Bill hires to redo Lila’s front garden. When he and Lila first meet, Jensen is “wearing a puffy jacket, a pair of lightly grubby jeans, and a beanie hat” (25). Although his appearance is innocuous, Lila is convinced that he’s a thief with nefarious intentions because she catches him trespassing on her property—unaware that Bill called him to the house. She snaps at Jensen, but he is unfazed by her upset, carrying himself with “casual confidence,” as if he knows that “she has no control over the situation” (26). In the days following this tense encounter, Lila softens toward Jensen. She starts to come outside to chat with him when he’s working on the property. They share tea and conversation and discover that they have more in common than Lila initially expected.

At the behest of Eleanor and Anoushka, Lila asks Jensen out for a drink—a decision that contributes to Lila’s Search for Love and Companionship. Lila is sure that she isn’t interested in Jensen romantically but hopes that spending a night with him will launch her back into the dating world. She is pleasantly surprised when Jensen proves to be even more personable, empathetic, and down-to-earth than other men she’s met. They go out for drinks, field home conflicts, buy liquor at the liquor store, and end up engaging in sexual foreplay at Bill’s studio. The evening delights Lila, not because she expects a future with Jensen, but because she’s proud of herself for taking a risk. However, Lila’s regard for Jensen fails to take Jensen’s feelings into account. He’s a sympathetic character who quickly grows attached to Lila. He likes her emotive, feisty nature and identifies with her complex family situation. Although she’s bad at communicating with him, he doesn’t give up on her. He initiates difficult conversations, ensuring that they’re on good terms and communicating openly. He’s therefore hurt when he discovers that she’s using their dynamic for her book.

Jensen proves himself to be a forgiving character who genuinely cares for Lila. He invests in her life, helping with Bill, the girls, and the property. He also forgives Lila when she apologizes for hurting him with her writing. The two end up making amends and pursuing a committed relationship. Jensen’s character contributes to Lila’s personal growth. He offers her a different representation of love and care compared to those she experienced with Dan. He also shows her grace and patience.

Bill is another of the novel’s primary characters. He is Lila’s stepfather and Celie and Violet’s grandfather. Bill became a part of Lila’s life when she was just seven years old. Ever since, she’s regarded him as her only father because Gene left Francesca when Lila was still young. Bill is orderly, particular, and self-effacing. He gradually moves in with Lila in the months following Francesca’s death but rarely talks about his yet-unresolved grief over losing his wife. He does his best to support Lila and care for the girls. His main form of showing love is cleaning and cooking. Lila appreciates his efforts but often feels incapable of maintaining Bill’s rigid lifestyle and routines.

Bill’s character faces new conflicts when Gene shows up at Lila’s. Bill isn’t an aggressive character, but he struggles to contain his emotions in Gene’s company. He knows how Gene hurt Francesca and Lila and feels protective of his daughter and granddaughters in Gene’s presence. He’s even more hurt when he discovers that Francesca had an affair with Gene when they were married. By the novel’s end, however, Bill proves himself to be open to change and capable of forgiveness. He works out his differences with Gene and pursues a new relationship with the neighbor Penelope—a dynamic that lets him feel hopeful for the first time since Francesca’s death.

Gene is also a primary character. He is Francesca’s ex-husband, Lila’s biological father, and Celie and Violet’s biological grandfather. He shows up at Lila’s house at the novel’s start, decades after he disappeared from Lila’s life. Lila doubts that she will ever be able to forgive Gene for the past and “wonders whether she will ever feel about Gene as one is meant to feel about a father” (222). Despite her uncertainty, she lets Gene stay with her family while he allegedly works on a local production. Gene soon overstays his welcome and tests the limits of Lila’s patience. She and Gene are at odds throughout much of the novel because Gene makes her home life unpredictable.

Gene is a charismatic character who gradually proves that he’s changed and wants to be a part of Lila and her daughters’ lives. He makes mistakes, but he actively works to atone for them, too. He invests in Celie’s life, in particular. Whenever she’s upset, he encourages her to pick herself up. He also takes her on little adventures throughout the city and gives her advice on combating bullying at school. He then invests in Violet’s school play, assuming the costuming duties that Lila couldn’t. He also works hard to get along with Bill despite their differences. By the novel’s end, he and Lila reconcile, proving that their fraught history doesn’t have to dictate the future of their relationship. In these ways, Gene proves himself to be an integral part of Lila’s evolving family sphere and an agent of change in her and her girls’ lives.

Celie is a primary character. The chapters titled with her name follow episodes from her storyline. These chapters are also written from the third-person point of view, which conveys Celie’s coming-of-age experience as she seeks self-actualization and grows up.

Celie is 16 years old in the narrative present. At the novel’s start, she is moody, lonely, and withholding. She used to have close friends at school, but when these friends begin to ignore and belittle her, Celie tunnels into herself. She feels ashamed and embarrassed and is afraid to interact with anyone at school. Worse, she feels like she can’t admit her troubles to anyone at home because her family is already going through so much. These facets of Celie’s experience are quintessential to the teenage experience—she is trying to discover who she is while trying to navigate complex family dynamics. Her moodiness is also a symptom of her age. She experiences physical and emotional changes and is still learning how to verbally express herself. With time, she learns to open up to Gene. He becomes an unexpected confidante and ultimately shepherds Celie through her troubles. In turn, Celie becomes more confident and is able to assume more responsibilities at home.