Fern

Outer characterization

Fern is the main character in the movie Nomadland directed by Chloé Zhao. She is a woman in her sixties who currently lives in a white van she has named Vanguard and travels all over America, taking up seasonal jobs. Fern is a widow, as her husband Bo died some years earlier.

Fern is well-educated. She attended university and studied literature and theater. Then she moved to Empire with her husband, where she worked for the HR department until her husband got sick. She also worked as a substitute teacher in Empire. She has worked many part-time jobs and has a vast experience in domains such as secretarial work, tutoring, and the service industry.

After Empire was closed down, Fern starts doing seasonal work. She works at an Amazon Warehouse in early winter, then does other seasonal jobs. In the movie we see her working as a camp host, at a restaurant, and gathering the beet harvest. 

Fern does not have any children. Her sister Dolly lives outside Denver, together with Fern’s brother-in-law, George.

Inner characterization

Fern is independent and enjoys the freedom of being on the road

One of Fern’s most notable features is her independence and her desire for complete freedom. It is quite likely that Fern has chosen this lifestyle precisely be...