Milquetoast isn't a word that is thrown around a lot these days—which is a shame because it's awesome—but it's one that describes Rachel pretty well. She's passive, timid, and afraid to assert herself. This leads Sylvia and Mrs. Price to completely dominate her and ultimately ruin her birthday with something as simple as an ugly red sweater. What makes passivity such an important theme in "Eleven" is that even though Rachel is shy, she makes up for it with her obvious intelligence and thoughtfulness. This girl has some exceptionally mature ideas about her situation and the world around her, but her passivity hinders her ability to vocalize those ideas, allowing others the ability to walk all over her.
Questions About Passivity
- Rachel has some very non-passive thoughts. Why do you think she cannot speak them out loud? Do you see any evidence for why she is so passive?
- Why do you think Phyllis passively waits to admit the sweater was hers?
- Do you see Rachel as being more or less passive as a result of this incident?
Chew on This
Rachel says she cannot correct Mrs. Price because the teacher is older, yet she doesn't argue with Sylvia either, suggesting Rachel's passivity extends beyond being compliant with authority.
Rachel calls Phyllis "stupid" for not saying the sweater is hers, yet it's possible Sylvia is just as passive as her.