All The Lovely Bad Ones

Corey is the novel’s other protagonist. She is “[…] a whole year younger” than Travis, her brother (6). According to Travis, “Corey wasn’t a good storyteller—she was a brilliant storyteller” (19). Corey has a flair for the dramatic and a penchant for being in the limelight. She is just as eager as Travis to play pranks, make trouble, and tell tall tales to anyone and everyone willing to listen. Despite Corey’s playful side, she is also empathetic. Corey’s defining moment in the text is not her decision to dress up as a ghost to scare the guests, but her firm resolution to help the shadow children, even in the face of digging up Miss Ada’s grave for the ledger. Corey overcomes her fear to fulfill her promise and help put an end to the situation that they started. As the novel follows Travis’s perspective, the way he views Corey may very well be skewed and colored in by sibling rivalry. For example, Travis thinks about Corey, “Usually she picks at her food, which drives Mom and Dad insane. If she doesn’t eat enough, they worry she’s anorexic. If she eats too much, they worry she’s bulimic. I think she just likes the attention” (17). This moment exemplifies the narrative’s skewed perspective and Travis’s own biases, even towards his own sister.

Grandmother’s physical appearance is also not described much in the text. Due to Travis’s familiarity with her, and Corey, he does not take the lengths to describe them in as much detail as he does with the other guests. As the owner of the inn at Fox Hill, Grandmother is responsible for the well-being of everyone on the property. She takes this responsibility extremely seriously, even as she struggles to improve the inn’s business. Grandmother’s defining characteristic is her rationality; she is skeptical about the supernatural happenings and those who claim that they have experienced them firsthand. Grandmother’s mindset is difficult for her to work through, and her character arc follows her journey in beginning to come to terms with the fact that ghosts exist. Grandmother says, “I used to believe the dead rested in peace. After my husband died, it was a consolation of sorts” (152). In this moment, Hahn reveals Grandmother’s primary reasoning for her worldview. Unlike Miss Ada, Grandmother is an example of an adult who is able and willing to admit when they are wrong and change as a result.

Henry Brewster is Martha’s husband and one of the primary caretakers of the inn at Fox Hill. Travis describes him as “[…] a short, bearded man” almost like “an ancient garden gnome had come to life” (19). Mr. Brewster’s taciturn personality and demeanor is not unlike his wife’s. Hahn writes of Henry, “He wore a frown as permanent as Mrs. Brewster’s, made even sterner by his drooping mustache” (19). Henry is responsible for the upkeep of the inn and taking care of the grounds; similarly, Henry also helps Martha keep the ghosts resting and quiet. Henry’s disagreeable mood, especially towards Travis and Corey, is later explained by his disapproval of their pranks and his dissatisfaction with the inn in general. Henry says to the siblings, “It woulda been best if them Cornells had never seen this house. Never bought it. Never fixed it up. [...] Some places ought to go to ruin. Let the bricks fall and the grass grow over them. Let it all be forgot and the dead stay dead” (87). This moment highlights the irony of Mr. Brewster’s true feelings about the inn and his responsibility as its caretaker and handyman, in charge of fixing the building and grounds in perpetuity. The inner conflict that Mr. Brewster feels may well present itself as a surly attitude and temper.

Martha Brewster is the Inn at Fox Hill’s cook. She is a woman with a serious countenance, “Her gray hair was pulled back tightly into a knot, and her mouth seemed to have settled into a permanent frown” (8). Martha’s personality reflects her severe physical appearance. She is extremely strict and clearly disapproving of Travis and Corey. Even Grandmother admits that “Martha’s a little standoffish” (8). At first glance, Martha Brewster appears to be a cold and mean woman, however, this could not be further from the truth. In contrast to how she appears, Martha is kind to both the dead and living children. She says to Seth about Travis and Corey, “No, it ain’t punishment they need [...] No more than you needed it” (95). Both Henry and Martha care for the ins and outs of the property in ways that reflect their devotion to the ghosts, specifically Seth. Martha explains to Grandmother, “He’s my great-great-great-grandfather’s nephew. The care of him’s been passed down from generation to generation. We try to protect him, like his mama wished, but he sleeps light. Don’t take much to wake him up” (151). Martha’s shift as Seth’s guardian ends at the conclusion of the novel; though she is unable to face Miss Ada throughout her time at the inn, she cares for the shadow children the only way she knows how.

Mr. and Mrs. Jennings are a couple who visit the inn at Fox Hill in search of ghostly experiences. Travis describes them, “They were old but not old old—probably forty or fifty. His hair was gray, and hers was an odd shade of tan (dyed, according to Corey). He wore hiking shorts, a navy T-shirt, and walking sandals over rag-wool socks” (15). Mr. and Mrs. Jennings are dressed extremely normally, with nothing that might suggest that they are avid ghost hunters in search of brushes with the paranormal. This sharp juxtaposition between their regular appearance and their strange hobby is made clear when they say to Travis and Corey, “We’ve gone to many so-called haunted inns, but we’ve been disappointed every time” (28). Mr. and Mrs. Jennings are responsible for calling Miss Duval and Chester to the inn. Despite their proclamations about wanting to experience a haunting, they check out of the inn the day after they glimpse Miss Ada.

Tracy is a 16-year-old high schooler who works at the inn during the summer. Travis describes her as “A blonde with a freckled nose [...] She was really cute, just the kind of girlfriend I hoped to have someday” (16). Tracy is unflappable at the beginning of the novel, utterly convinced that “Ghosts can’t hurt you” (39). Tracy is a bold and reckless teenager, eager to face the unknown head on. Tracy actively goes in search of ghosts and even camps out in the grove to try and catch a glimpse of the paranormal. Tracy’s confidence is shaken when she does meet Miss Ada’s specter. Tracy’s shift in worldview parallels Grandmother’s reckoning with the fact that ghosts are real. Unlike Grandmother’s determination to ignore the truth before her for as long as she can, Tracy’s single experience with Miss Ada is enough to convince her that she needs to leave the inn.

Miss Duvall is a self-proclaimed psychic who comes to the inn to investigate the hauntings. Miss Duvall acts as eccentrically as she dresses. Travis describes her as “Short and plump, with a head of frizzy blond curls, she wore layers of dark gauzy clothes that seemed to float in the air around her” (47). Even Miss Duvall’s clothes surround her in a frenzy of frenetic energy that she seems to exude. Her over-the-top behavior and speeches about the paranormal similarly reflect in her excess jewelry: “Her arms clanked with silver and copper bracelets. [...] a ring on each of her chubby fingers [...] a small silver hoop in one nostril. Earrings dangled to her shoulders in a shower of stars” (47). Miss Duval is cloaked in layers of dark clothes, jewelry, and makeup. Grandmother disapproves of her painted nails and makeup; her firm position as a skeptic stands in direct contrast to Miss Duvall’s belief in the paranormal. Hahn suggests that Miss Duvall is nothing but a fraud beneath her dramatics and show of knowledge. Despite everything that she supposedly knows, Miss Duvall never suggests the simple solution that Ira offers—getting to know the ghosts that haunt the space.

Chester, much like Miss Duvall, exudes the persona of ghost hunter. He drives a “dusty black hearse” with words that read “KEEP THE DEAD PEACEFUL” and “CHESTER COAKLEY PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR THE MAN TO CALL WHEN THINGS GO BUMP” (59). Chester markets himself as the go-to person when it comes to ghosts and hauntings. Travis describes him as “a tall, thin man with a long gray ponytail and matching beard. He wore a Grateful Dead baseball cap, black jeans, and black boots. His faded black T-shirt said, I SEE—AND I CATCH—DEAD PEOPLE” (59). Chester’s appearance does not lend much confidence to his ghost investigation abilities. He is a walking stereotype of an amateur ghost investigator. Despite his own arrogance regarding his familiarity with the supernatural, Chester is just as much of a fraud as Miss Duvall. Apart from filming videos and breaking into Travis’s bedroom in order to take pictures of the mess the ghosts made, he is utterly incapable of helping lay the ghosts to rest. Chester is more interested in gaining fame for his ghost investigation success than he is in communicating with and helping the spirits that are stuck at the inn.

Caleb is the de facto leader of the bad ones and the shadow children. Travis describes him as “[...] maybe ten or eleven years old, his face pale and freckled, his clothes ragged” (101). He is the most vocal of the ghosts and frequently speaks to Travis, Corey, and Grandmother. Caleb conveys the group’s desires to the living in order to help them all find peace. He seems far older than his ten years, often keeping the other boys from waking Miss Ada to protect them. He is wise beyond his years, able to see Miss Ada for what she is. Caleb says, “She beat us for her good [...] Not ours” (104). This sharp introspection renders Caleb a mouthpiece for Hahn, delivering to the audience the moral and lesson of the novel.

When Ira tries desperately to save Miss Ada from the devil, Caleb stops him, saying, “Let her go where she must go. We can’t give her eyes to see what she won’t see” (191). Through Caleb, Hahn makes clear that children are innocent, that children despite being called “bad” are infinitely less bad than the people who hurt them. An abuser who refuses to see the truth of their cruel actions cannot be saved. These lessons that Hahn attempts to convey through Caleb live on through his brother’s descendants as well. Hahn writes, “It was as if something of Caleb lived still, his eyes and his dimple passing down and down and down from one Perkins to another” (177). Just as Caleb lives on through his brother’s descendants, so do the lessons that Hahn tries to relay to the reader.

Ira is the second chosen representative of the shadow children. Travis describes, “Ira was about the same age as Caleb, dark and melancholy” (101). Though little else is known about Ira’s physical description apart from being “dark and melancholy,” his shy kindness is apparent through his interactions with the other characters in the text. Upon showing themselves to Travis and Corey, he immediately apologizes, saying, “I’m sorry we scared you” (102). His kindness is most apparent when they finally confront Miss Ada. Ira repeatedly asks her to apologize, even “pleaded” for her to apologize for everything she did to the children and to “all the folks who lived and died on the farm” (190). Hahn exemplifies Ira’s compassionate soul when he reaches out a hand to Miss Ada, his murderer. Hahn writes, “Ira stretched out his hand and touched the woman’s shoulder” (190). In this moment, Ira’s good character and his capacity for sympathy, even toward the woman who wronged so many, is clear. Ira even tries to stop Miss Ada from falling for the devil’s trap, but he fails to stop her.

Seth is one of the bad ones, a representative of the shadow children. Seth is younger than Caleb and Ira, “with a tangled head of red curls and two missing front teeth” (101). Travis guesses that he is about seven years old. Seth is related to Mrs. Brewster and even calls her Aunt Martha. Seth is the most precocious of the children. He is mischievous and keen to play as many tricks as possible on the guests of the inn. When Ira apologizes to Travis and Corey for scaring them, Seth makes it clear that he is decidedly unapologetic: “I ain’t sorry [...] We’re the bad ones! We got to live up to our name” (102). Though Seth’s stubbornness may cause some trouble for the guests at the inn, Hahn describes how his obstinate nature may have saved other children from a similar fate. Seth says, “I didn’t share it with nobody. I et it all myself” (119). When Miss Ada tortures him to try and get him to reveal who else he gave stolen food to, he refuses to tell her. At just seven years old, Seth shows more loyalty for his friends than Cornelius Jaggs did for his sister.

Miss Ada is the main antagonist of the novel. Travis describes Miss Ada, “Her face was pale and hard, her eyes small and close set under straight dark brows. She wore a long black dress, buttoned to her chin” (111). Unlike Martha Brewster, Ada’s physical appearance directly reflects her inner wickedness. Her hard face betrays her cruelty, and her buttoned black dress speaks to her sternness. Ada’s characterization as a cruel and evil woman is as unchanging as her ghost; despite numerous attempts to get her to apologize for the torture she doles out onto the innocent children, she continues to believe that they deserved it. At the final confrontation between her and the shadow children, she says to them, “Whatever I did to you was your own fault [...] You defied me, you were never satisfied, never grateful. You made me punish you, you made me hurt you” (188). Miss Ada is just as selfish as her brother Cornelius, if not more so. She is unable to see past her own experience to glimpse the truth of the situation, to realize that she is the one who is bad. Ada blames Cornelius, her position as overseer, and the children themselves for “making” her hurt them. Hahn uses Miss Ada’s character as a study in irony. Reflected in Ada’s gravestone inscription, “A WICKED HEART IS ITS OWN REWARD,” Miss Ada is ultimately the one who is punished for her long history of cruelty and torture (138).