Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Phyllis

At first Flora's worried that William Spiver is Ulysses's arch-nemesis, but soon enough, she figures out it's—ugh—her mom. Not only does her mom (a.k.a. Phyllis) kidnap her squirrel and try to give him the shovel treatment, she also fights Flora a bunch about what she thinks. Phyllis is always telling her daughter what to say and how to act, and she even makes her sign a contract to stop reading her favorite comics.

It's clear Flora's journey is opposed by her mom every step of the way, mostly because she cares more about her daughter being "normal" than she does letting her be herself. Hey, Phyllis—there's no such thing as normal.