Characters

Elizabeth and Celia are the main characters in the short story “Celia Behind Me” by Isabel Huggan.

The two girls are similar in age, go to the same school, and live close to each other. They are both small and stocky, and they both wear glasses. Celia is ignored and bullied by the other children, while Elizabeth knows she is next in line to be bullied. This is why she does not want to be associated with Celia. However, the other children end up bullying anyway, which makes Elizabeth take out her frustrations on Celia by beating her.

The other characters in the story are Elizabeth’s parents and the other children. Elizabeth’s mother plays an important role in the story because she warns Elizabeth not to bully Celia, adding that one day it might be Elizabeth’s turn to be bullied. She also physically punishes Elizabeth after her attack on Celia. 

You can read a full characterization of Elizabeth and Celia in the following sections.