Characters For Whom the Belle Tolls Jaysea Lynn

Sharkie (Zoe) – Character Analysis for For Whom the Belle Tolls

Overview

Zoe, nicknamed Sharkie by Lily, is an eight-year-old girl who appears in Chapter 18 of For Whom the Belle Tolls. She arrives at the Afterlife’s Front Desk wearing a shark onesie, scared and convinced she belongs in Hell. Through her connection with Lily, Sharkie becomes the heart of a new found family, her story weaving together themes of healing from trauma and love across mortality.

Plot Role

Sharkie’s arrival at the Front Desk is the catalyst for Lily’s most profound transformation in the book. Lily, a newly dead soul working at the Hellp Desk, meets the frightened child and immediately uses a pinkie promise to earn her trust. Instead of sending Sharkie to Paradise or reincarnation, Lily decides to escort her directly to Lucifer in Hell.

This decision propels the narrative: it cements Lily’s role as a protector, forces her to confront her own past trauma, and solidifies her relationship with Bel (Prince Beleth). Later, Sharkie appears in several key chapters: she bonds with Bel during a party pickup (Chapter 36), receives a heartfelt mother-daughter talk from Lily (Chapter 33), and learns that Lily is staying permanently in the Afterlife (Chapter 64). In the Epilogue, set years after the war, Sharkie works alongside Lily at the Hellp Desk, helping new souls like Penny.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Curiosity and Resilience

Despite her mistreatment, Sharkie retains a natural curiosity. When she first meets Lily, she asks about sharks, the house, and everything around her. The text shows her asking Lily, “Are there sharks?” when told about Hell. This intellectual spark persists even after years of punishment for being inquisitive.

Learned Fear and Trust-Building

Sharkie’s trauma manifests as hypervigilance and a terror of “getting in trouble.” She cringes when Lily says she doesn’t follow stupid rules. The file Lily reads reveals systematic abuse: physical beatings, sexualization, and religious condemnation. Sharkie’s reaction to any perceived rule-breaking is immediate panic. Yet she repeatedly shows the ability to trust when given consistent safety—for instance, she asks for a pinkie promise and later seeks Lily’s hug in the elevator.

Protective Instincts

Though a child, Sharkie demonstrates empathy. She notices Lily’s sadness when looking at a photo of Lily’s brothers and apologizes for making her upset. This suggests she has learned to read adults’ emotions as a survival mechanism, but also that she genuinely cares for others.

Passion for Sharks

Sharks are Sharkie’s core identity. The onesie is not a costume; it represents her defiance of adults who told her sharks were “for boys.” She loves sharks because they remind her of a “home” she barely remembers—a time with her biological mother who hung a shark mobile over her crib. Her special interest becomes a symbol of her enduring selfhood.

Chronological Arc

  1. Arrival (Chapter 18): Sharkie appears at the Front Desk, scared and lost, insisting she must go to Hell. Lily pinkie-promises her safety and walks her toward Hell.
  2. The Elevator (Chapter 19): On the way down, Sharkie has a panic attack. Lily stops the elevator, holds her, and soothes her panic. This is the first time an adult prioritizes Sharkie’s emotional needs.
  3. Meeting Lucifer (Chapter 19): Lucifer speaks gently with Sharkie in a private alcove, and Sharkie’s fear eases. She later calls him “really, really nice.”
  4. Home with Lily (Chapter 21): Sharkie sees her new room, which has transformed into a shark-themed sanctuary. The house (which she nicknames Carl) creates a protective barrier around her room. Sharkie breaks down in relief, realizing she is safe.
  5. Mother-Daughter Talk (Chapter 33): Lily tells Sharkie about her biological mother’s love, absolves her of guilt, and offers unconditional love. Sharkie asks, “Can we be a family?” and Lily affirms that they already are.
  6. Family Bonding (Chapters 36–37): Sharkie attends a party with Bel and Lily, where Bel jokes about her onesie fin. She corrects Bel on Jaws inaccuracies, showing regained confidence.
  7. Permanent Stay (Chapter 64): Sharkie picks up on Lily’s restored heartbeat and learns Lily is staying in the Afterlife forever. The chapter ends with Sharkie feeling at home.
  8. Epilogue: Years later, Sharkie works at the Hellp Desk, helping a new soul named Penny. She is described as bored and eager for action, indicating she has fully healed and now wants to help others.

Relationships

Lily (Mother Figure)

Lily is the first adult who protects Sharkie without condition. Their bond is sealed with pinkie promises. Lily’s actions—stopping the elevator, taking her to Lucifer, and adopting her—are all based on instinctual love rather than experience. The text shows Lily thinking, “This kid is mine. No one hurts her anymore.” Later, Lily tells Sharkie, “I will love you as if you were my own child.”

Bel (Father Figure)

Bel initially helps convince Lily she is capable of being a guardian. He jokes with Sharkie and immediately starts building a support network, messaging contacts about shark documentaries. Sharkie includes Bel in her definition of family, telling Lily, “Can Bel be in our family too? Cause you’re dating him and he’s nice?”

Lucifer (Mentor)

Lucifer treats Sharkie with patience and respect. He speaks to her privately, making her feel brave, and even promises to get her a shark (which Lily must later clarify should be a cuddly, harmless one). Lucifer’s kindness helps Sharkie trust Hell as a safe place.

Max the Cat

Max becomes Sharkie’s first comfort object in the new home. He climbs into her lap and purrs, and Sharkie giggles freely for the first time since her death. The cat’s acceptance speeds her emotional settling.

Key Decisions and Consequences

  • Lily’s decision to take Sharkie to Lucifer: Instead of following standard procedure (sending her to Paradise or reincarnation), Lily acts on faith. This decision saves Sharkie from Hell’s bureaucracy and allows her to heal.
  • Lily’s decision to become Sharkie’s guardian: After Bel’s encouragement, Lily accepts that love and research can compensate for lack of experience. This creates the found family that becomes central to the story.
  • Bel’s decision to build a support network: He texts group chats for shark resources, showing that raising Sharkie is a communal effort. This reinforces the found family theme.
  • Sharkie’s decision to trust Lily: Each time Sharkie extends trust—asking for a pinkie promise, hugging her, calling her “mom”—she moves toward healing. Her final decision to work at the Hellp Desk shows she has internalized her worth and wishes to pay kindness forward.

Theme/Symbol Connections

Healing from Trauma

Sharkie’s arc is a case study in recovery. She moves from expecting punishment to expecting love. The pinkie promise becomes a ritual that rewires her understanding of adult authority.

Found Family

Sharkie explicitly asks if she and Lily can be a family. The answer is yes—and that family expands to include Bel, Lucifer, and the entire Hellp Desk community. The Epilogue shows Sharkie now part of that family, helping others in the same way she was helped.

Justice vs. Mercy

Lily experiences “primordial rage” when learning of Sharkie’s abuse. She wants vengeance but chooses mercy and protection instead. The book argues that true justice for a traumatized child is not punishment of abusers (though those may come later) but safety and love.

Love Across Mortality

Sharkie is a soul; Lily is a denizen who chose to stay. Their bond transcends death and biology. Lily’s love is not contingent on being a biological mother—it is a choice made daily.

Reincarnation vs. Permanence

Sharkie could have chosen reincarnation, but she stays in the Afterlife. Her choice to remain and build a family there echoes Lily’s own choice to become a denizen. Both reject the idea that the soul must move on.

5 Book-Specific Questions and Answers

1. Why does Sharkie believe she belongs in Hell?

Sharkie’s foster mother and pastor repeatedly told her she was a wicked child who would go to Hell. She internalized this belief. When she meets Lily, she insists, “I have to go to Hell, or I’m going to get into trouble.” The file reveals years of religious abuse.

2. What is the significance of the pinkie promise?

Lily uses pinkie promises as a tool to build trust with Sharkie. She promises Sharkie will be okay, that she won’t be punished, and that her room is safe. Each pinkie promise reinforces that Lily is reliable and different from the adults who hurt her.

3. How does Lily become Sharkie’s guardian?

After meeting Lucifer, Bel pulls Lily aside and argues that love and a willingness to learn matter more than experience. Lily hesitates, but Bel says, “You don’t have to worry about changing the whole world… but if anyone can change that child’s world, it’s you.” Lily agrees and takes on the role.

4. How does Sharkie’s relationship with Bel develop?

Initially, Sharkie is shy around Bel, but she quickly warms to him. He lifts her like she’s weightless, teases her lovingly, and supports her interest in sharks by researching documentaries. By Chapter 33, Sharkie asks if Bel can be part of their family, and Lily confirms.

5. What happens to Sharkie in the epilogue?

In the Epilogue, set years after the war, Sharkie works at the Hellp Desk beside Lily. A soul named Penny arrives believing she deserves punishment. Sharkie, now confident and compassionate, helps train Penny, breaking the cycle of trauma by offering her a job and hope.