CHARACTER
Then She Was Goneby Lisa Jewell

Noelle Donnelly

Noelle Donnelly Character Analysis

Noelle Donnelly is the chilling antagonist of Then She Was Gone. Initially presented as a quirky math tutor to Ellie Mack, she is later revealed to be the architect of Ellie's disappearance and death. She is also the former partner of Floyd Dunn and the woman who raises Poppy Dunn as her own daughter. Her first-person narration in Part Three exposes the horrifying extent of her actions. Noelle is a deeply disturbed and manipulative woman whose desperate longing for a perfect family leads her to commit monstrous acts.

Who Is Noelle?

Noelle is a complex character driven by a potent mix of insecurity, intelligence, and psychopathy. She is a woman consumed by a desperate need for the life she believes she deserves, leading her down a path of obsession, manipulation, and ultimately, unspeakable cruelty. Her inability to form genuine connections and her warped perception of love and family result in devastating consequences for those around her.

Personality & Traits

Noelle's personality is a twisted blend of intellectual brilliance and emotional stuntedness. While she possesses a sharp mind and a talent for manipulation, she lacks empathy and a moral compass, making her a truly dangerous character.

  • Obsessive: Noelle's capacity for intense obsession is a central theme in the novel. She fixates first on Floyd, an author she idolizes, and later transfers this obsession to Ellie, whom she sees as the perfect vessel for creating the child that will bind Floyd to her forever.
  • Manipulative and Deceptive: She is a master of deception, lying to Floyd about being on birth control and faking a pregnancy. She orchestrates Ellie's kidnapping under the guise of offering her a practice exam paper. Her entire relationship with the world is built on a foundation of lies.
  • Intelligent but Socially Inept: Noelle holds a PhD in applied mathematics, showcasing her academic brilliance. However, she is socially awkward, resentful, and unable to form healthy relationships. Ellie describes her as "weird and creepy," and Noelle herself admits to being an outcast.
  • Self-Pitying: In her monologues to Ellie and in her own narration, Noelle constantly frames herself as a victim of a cruel world. She laments her lonely life, her financial struggles, and her unfulfilled desires, using her unhappiness to justify her horrific actions.
  • Cruel and Uncaring: Despite her attempts to portray herself as a caring figure to Ellie, Noelle is capable of extreme cruelty. She imprisons Ellie for years, abuses her psychologically, and ultimately leaves her to die in the basement. She is also a neglectful and emotionally abusive mother to Poppy.

Character Journey

Noelle's narrative arc is a chilling descent into madness. Initially, she is a lonely and resentful woman who feels cheated by life. Her obsession with Floyd provides a focus for her desires, but when their relationship fails to meet her expectations, she concocts a plan to create a "perfect" child. This plan leads her to kidnap Ellie, and over the course of Ellie's captivity, Noelle sheds any remaining semblance of empathy or morality. Her first-person narration reveals a complete lack of remorse, as she recounts her crimes with a chilling detachment, believing her actions were a necessary means to an end. Her story culminates in her own violent death at the hands of Floyd after she reveals the truth about Poppy's parentage.

Key Relationships

  • Ellie Mack: Noelle sees Ellie as the "golden girl," the embodiment of everything she is not. This admiration curdles into a possessive obsession. She kidnaps, imprisons, and impregnates Ellie, treating her not as a human being but as an object to be used for her own ends. Noelle's twisted perception of Ellie as a means to an end highlights her complete lack of empathy and her willingness to exploit and destroy others to fulfill her own desires.

  • Floyd Dunn: Noelle's relationship with Floyd is the catalyst for the entire tragedy. She stalks him after reading his book and manipulates him into a relationship. She views him as the key to the perfect family life she craves, and her inability to secure his love through normal means leads her to her criminal plan. Noelle's obsession with Floyd is rooted in her deep-seated insecurity and her belief that he can provide her with the validation and happiness she desperately seeks.

  • Poppy Dunn: Noelle raises Poppy, Ellie's biological daughter, as her own. However, she is a terrible mother—neglectful, resentful, and cruel. She sees Poppy primarily as a tool to maintain her connection to Floyd, and her "love" for the child is conditional and self-serving. Noelle's treatment of Poppy reveals her inability to form genuine emotional bonds and her tendency to view others as objects to be manipulated for her own gain.

Defining Moments

  • Tutoring Sessions: Noelle's weekly lessons with Ellie are where her obsession begins. She becomes increasingly intense and inappropriate, giving Ellie gifts and calling her her "best student," which ultimately makes Ellie uncomfortable enough to end the tutoring. This marks the beginning of Noelle's descent into obsession and highlights her inability to maintain appropriate boundaries.

  • The Abduction: Noelle lures Ellie to her house under the pretense of giving her a helpful practice exam paper. This moment, where Ellie walks into her trap, is the "kink in the time line" that seals her fate. This act of calculated deception demonstrates Noelle's willingness to go to any lengths to achieve her goals, regardless of the consequences for others.

  • The Confession to Floyd: In their final confrontation, Noelle cruelly reveals the truth about Poppy's parentage. This confession, intended to hurt Floyd as much as possible, directly leads to him killing her in a fit of rage. This act of spiteful revenge reveals the depth of Noelle's bitterness and her desire to inflict pain on those she believes have wronged her.

  • First-Person Narration: The chapters narrated by Noelle in Part Three are pivotal. They provide a direct, chilling insight into her psyche, motivations, and the step-by-step account of her crimes against Ellie. This unfiltered perspective allows the reader to fully grasp the extent of Noelle's depravity and the chilling lack of remorse that characterizes her actions.

Essential Quotes

"Because when you get to my age there’ll be loads of things you want and you’ll see everyone else getting them and you’ll think, well, it must be my turn now. Surely. And then you’ll watch it disappear into the sunset. And there’ll be nothing you can do about it. Nothing whatsoever."

This quote encapsulates Noelle's deep-seated resentment and her belief that she is entitled to happiness. It reveals her sense of victimhood and her justification for taking what she believes she deserves, regardless of the consequences for others.

"Is it any wonder I was obsessed with her? Is it any wonder I did what I did?"

This rhetorical question highlights Noelle's warped perception of reality and her inability to take responsibility for her actions. She attempts to rationalize her obsession with Ellie and her subsequent crimes, suggesting that they were somehow inevitable given the circumstances.

"She doesn’t belong to either of us, Floyd. I made her for you, with another woman’s womb and another man’s sperm."

This chilling statement reveals the extent of Noelle's delusion and her complete disregard for the humanity of others. She views Poppy as a creation, a tool to bind Floyd to her, rather than as a human being with her own rights and feelings.