The Bad Seed - Character List - Minor Characters

Minor Characters

Kenneth Penmark

The father of Rhoda and husband of Christine. Kenneth is already away on business when the novel begins and he does not return until the very end, after his wife's suicide. Kenneth never discovers the truth about Rhoda or the reasoning behind Christine's suicide and attempted murder of Rhoda.

Emory Wages

Monica Breedlove's brother, who lives with his sister. He flirts with Christine at different social gatherings.

Claudia Fern

The Fern sister that reprimands Rhoda for harassing Claude the day of the picnic. She describes the events the day of the picnic to Christine along with her two other sisters, and she informs Christine that her sisters and she do not wish to have Rhoda attend their school the following year.

Octavia Fern

Fern sister who explains to Christine why the sisters did not ask the Penmarks to donate money for a flower arrangement to be presented at Claude’s funeral.

Burgess Fern

Fern sister in charge of enrollment at the Fern School. She would not hold the penmanship medal for Claude Daigle the day of the Fern Grammar School picnic.

Richard Bravo

Christine's adopted father, who was killed in an airplane crash during World War II. He was a well-known columnist and war correspondent, performing great research in the "Bessie Denker" case. He never told Christine she was adopted or that Bessie Denker was her biological mother.

Hortense Daigle

Mother of Claude Daigle. She is a plain, large woman who believes that the Fern sisters look down on her for being a hairdresser and marrying late. She is devastated by her son’s death and turns to alcohol as a source of comfort. She knows that Rhoda had something to do with Claude’s death and seeks her out to find answers.

Dwight Daigle

Father of Claude Daigle. He tries to help his wife, Hortense Daigle, and keep her under control as she suffers from the death of their son.

Thelma

Mrs. Forsythe

She is an elderly woman who, towards the end of the novel, baby-sits Rhoda. Rhoda never harms Mrs. Forsythe because she does not have anything Rhoda wants.

Belle Blackwell

Teacher of the Sunday school Rhoda attends who gives Rhoda a copy of Elsie Dinsmore.

Clara Post

The old woman who lived with the Penmarks and her daughter, Edna, in the same apartment house in Baltimore. She befriended Rhoda and believed her to be truly delightful. She promised Rhoda that when she died Rhoda could have an item.

Edna

She is the widowed daughter of Mrs. Clara Post. She lives with her mother in the same apartment house in Baltimore as the Penmarks. Her mother died the day she left to go to the supermarket. Edna was skeptical of Rhoda's story of her mother's accidental death. She did not invite the Penmarks to the funeral or speak to them after the incident.