Florence Adler Swims Forever

Content Warning: This section discusses antisemitism, infant loss, loss of children, Nazi Germany, and racism.

Gussie is Fannie and Isaac’s firstborn daughter, the granddaughter of Joseph and Esther, and the niece of Florence. She is seven years old and loves Florence because Florence is playful; she does not like Anna because Anna is reserved and afraid of things. Gussie is living with her grandparents while her mother is in the hospital, which speaks to the fact that her father is largely incapable of caring for her. When Esther becomes preoccupied with Florence’s death and keeping the news from Fannie, Anna becomes Gussie’s primary caregiver.

Gussie’s perspective is naïve but observant, functioning as a raw and childlike representation of grief. She also aids in developing other characters, as the way others treat her reflects their emotional state and their capacity for handling events. Anna and Stuart are the most sympathetic toward and trusting of Gussie. They are also the characters with the most hope for the future by the novel’s end. Gussie thus reflects these characters’ innocence even as she loses some of her own, coming to understand the role of secrets and the ways in which adults like Isaac can hurt and disappoint her.