Ramona and Her Father

Mr. Quimby is the father of the Quimby household. He is a dynamic character who, with the support of the family unit, transforms from a sullen and jaded man to someone filled with optimism and strength. When Mr. Quimby comes home one night and announces he was laid off, the atmosphere in the Quimby household instantly shifts to one of serious concern. Since her father was laid off, Ramona notices that he is no longer the uplifting and reliable presence he once was: “There had been many changes in the Quimby household since Mr. Quimby had lost his job, but the biggest change was in Mr. Quimby himself” (21).

Lost in his own depressive state, Mr. Quimby neglects to see how his mood and his smoking are affecting his family. When the girls start posting signs everywhere, Mr. Quimby attempts to ignore them at first. He resists change until he sees Ramona crying on the step one day after school when she is overwhelmed by the difficulty of facing adult issues as a child. It finally sinks in that Ramona is worried about more than just Christmas or a pumpkin; she is worried about her father’s health. Mr. Quimby makes a strong effort to quit smoking and spend more quality time with Ramona in response to his realization. He falters once with his smoking, and his irritation leads him to overreact to Ramona’s request for a sheep costume. Still, Mr. Quimby eventually finds work, and the entire mood in the family lightens when he does.

Mrs. Quimby is a static secondary character and the mother of the Quimby family. She is an understanding and patient woman who takes care of the family and works part-time until Mr. Quimby is laid off. At that time, Mrs. Quimby models the support of the family unit and takes on full-time work to make up for the difference. Mrs. Quimby worries about being able to feed her family and, over time, becomes exhausted from working full-time and trying to manage the household. In Ramona’s eyes, her mother often seems down and worried, and Ramona’s efforts to help the family are also for her mother’s sake. Mrs. Quimby doesn’t get angry with Ramona for assuming she would sew a sheep costume for her but instead accepts it as one of Ramona’s many foibles. She does her best to put the costume together but only manages to sew a tail and ears in time. Ramona takes this for granted at first but soon realizes the sacrifice her mother made even to do as much as she did.

Beezus is Ramona’s older sister. She is a dynamic secondary character who does not necessarily evolve throughout the novel, but Ramona’s view of Beezus transforms, and she comes to see her sister in a new, more understanding way. Ramona and Beezus deal with the issues in their family together, demonstrating the support of the family unit. Ramona is seven years old and looks up to her older sister, but she also has a habit of teasing her and starting arguments. For a long time, Ramona sees this as somehow her sister’s fault but eventually realizes that Beezus is actually a loving and supportive older sister. She shares with Ramona, spends time with her, and accepts Ramona’s help when it is offered. Beezus dreads an upcoming creative writing assignment and having to interview a neighbor, but having the confident Ramona there makes the process easier. Beezus is also the one who points out the dangers and hypocrisies of Mr. Quimby’s smoking habit, which inspires Ramona to help him quit. Beezus is selected to play Mary in the Nativity play, which Ramona finds off-putting at first, but when she sees Beezus standing at the front of the church dressed as Mary, she realizes it is the perfect role for her loving sister.