Character Analysis
David is Juli's uncle and Mr. Baker's brother, and about halfway through Flipped we learn that he is physically and mentally disabled and lives in a home called Greenhaven. We also learn that David became disabled when he was born because the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck and he didn't receive enough oxygen. Now that David and his brother's parents are gone, Mr. and Mrs. Baker take care of David and keep him healthy and happy.
We don't get to meet Uncle David for very long, but we do learn a bit about him during Juli's trip to Greenhaven with her dad. David is sweet and nice to everybody, and he really loves his brother. Plus—even though he's never met Juli before—he recognizes her from the pictures he has. He's also a serious wiz at puzzles, and his room is covered in them.
Even though we don't spend much time meeting Uncle David he becomes one of the most important characters in the story, because when the other characters discuss David or talk about his disabilities, they show their true colors. Take Bryce's father, Mr. Loski, or Bryce's friend, Garrett. These two fellows say cruel things about David, and this lets us know that they are really prejudiced. On the flipside, we also see really cool characters like Mr. Baker, who loves spending time with his brother, and Juli, who really wants to meet her uncle.
So even though Uncle David isn't a main character in this book, he plays a pretty important part. How else do you think Uncle David's character affects those around him?