Forever, Interrupted: A Novel

Ben Ross is a primary, static character since he appears in the novel exclusively through memory. Ben is the same age as Elsie and is also an only child. His dad died three years before the narrative present. In the wake of losing his dad, Ben became even closer with his mom, Susan. Ben believes that it’s his responsibility to care for his mom because she is otherwise alone in her grief. This is why Ben hesitates to tell her about his sudden and intense romance with Elsie. He is in love with Elsie and is serious about creating a life, future, and family with her, but he fears that sharing this new romantic part of his life with his mom will make Susan feel left out and intensify her grief. His withholding at times confuses Elsie but ultimately proves that he is an empathetic character. He’s worried about his mom and doesn’t want to do anything to augment her hurt. Ben shows similar signs of love, care, and emotional attentiveness to Elsie. He tries his best to understand her experience and invest in her life and passions.

From Elsie’s point of view, Ben is her fantasy man. Shortly after meeting him, she realizes that he is “the man [she has] dreamed about as a child, wondering what [her] husband would look like” (34). He is “handsome in a way that suggest[s] he [doesn’t] realize how handsome he is” (34). However, Ben’s tall figure, “broad shoulders and strong arms” aren’t all that draw Elsie to him (34). Rather, Ben is also genuine, open, and authentic in a way she is unaccustomed to. He has no interest in playing the typical dating games and communicates with Elsie in a refreshingly direct manner. This is in part why their romance develops so rapidly. Elsie and Ben feel that they can speak honestly with each other without fear of judgment or ridicule. Furthermore, because they allow each other to act upon their intense feelings, they quickly begin to discuss having a future together. Ben is direct about his desire for kids and promises to support Elsie if she has an unplanned pregnancy. Ben also agrees to elope in Las Vegas with her, even before he tells his mom about their relationship.

Ben’s death is both the inciting incident of the novel and the event that changes Elsie’s life. Losing Ben compels her healing and relationship journeys and ultimately remakes her character. She doesn’t forget Ben by the novel’s end. However, she does learn how to live her life in honor of his memory and in memory of the love they shared. Ben doesn’t change over the course of the novel because his life is so abbreviated, but his character ultimately transforms the other characters’ lives.

Susan Ross is a secondary character. She is Ben’s mother and ultimately assumes the role of Elsie’s archetypal mentor figure after Ben dies. Elsie is afraid to meet her throughout her six-month relationship with Ben because she’s convinced that Susan won’t like her and won’t understand what Ben sees in her. Her suspicions appear to be correct when the women first meet in the hospital immediately after Ben is killed in the accident. Susan is aggressive because she doesn’t believe that she and Ben are married and doesn’t understand why Ben wouldn’t have told her about Elsie. She pushes Elsie away throughout Part 1 as a result. She sees Elsie as irrelevant to her life and grief. Therefore, Elsie is convinced that Susan is a cruel and heartless woman because of her cold demeanor, and she takes on the role of antagonist in the first half of the novel.

However, Susan proves herself to be an empathetic, sensitive, caring, and insightful character. She comes to Elsie’s house in Part 2 to apologize for her unkindness once she has had time to reflect on her behavior. Her seeming cruelty in Part 1 has been a symptom of her grief, and she has misdirected her anger over Ben’s death at Elsie. Susan wants to make amends and pursues both a friendship and a familial bond with Elsie. She not only takes Elsie out for repeated meals but comforts her when she’s sad, offers her advice when she’s confused, and gives her help when she’s immobilized, taking on a maternal role for her daughter-in-law. She is particularly capable of shepherding Elsie through her grief because she is familiar with loss and also grieving Ben.

Susan’s character is instrumental in Elsie’s character evolution. She not only helps Elsie to heal after Ben’s death but teaches her the importance of cultivating close relationships for her general well-being. Elsie also contributes to Susan’s healing. She begins to understand Susan better while she is staying with her in Newport Beach and knows that Susan has a more private way of grieving. She doesn’t insert herself into Susan’s healing process, but she does learn how to open up to Susan and encourage Susan to confront her loss more overtly. Indeed, Susan has primarily channeled her sorrow into remodeling and redecorating her house and caring for Elsie. Once she visits Ben’s grave and talks to her late son, she is better able to pursue her recovery and thus engage with her life again.