El Deafo

Cece is the protagonist and hero of the story, both literally and figuratively—she also develops the character El Deafo, a superhero with the power to hear through walls.

We see Cece come of age in this book, and her story follows a standard plot arc of the coming-of-age narrative. Her biggest struggles are with alienation, friendship, and developing a sense of self-worth despite her disability. As she grows, she develops confidence and becomes more aware of her own worth. She is helped along in this trajectory by supportive teachers, her family, the romantic interest of Mike, and her best friend Martha.

Bell creates a dichotomy between Cece and El Deafo, which allows her to showcase Cece’s growth. While Cece begins the novel full of self-doubt and self-hate, she finds in El Deafo an outlet for her difficult emotions and shame. El Deafo encourages Cece to speak for herself and feel proud of her abilities. While Cece is anxious, El Deafo is brave and confident. When Cece finally reveals herself as El Deafo at the end of the novel, we find her at the end of the coming-of-age plot arc, as she embraces her true self and discovers that she is valuable, appreciated, and loved.