Characters I Hope This Finds You Well Natalie Sue

Rhonda Staples: The Unexpected Heart of I Hope This Finds You Well

Overview

Rhonda Staples is the senior administrative assistant at Supershops Inc. who initially appears as a meddling, overly bureaucratic coworker. Beneath her bright eyeshadow and printed blouses, she carries the grief of an estranged son, Carl, whose addiction has left her mourning him while he is still alive. As the story unfolds, Rhonda transforms from a source of annoyance for Jolene into a surprising wellspring of empathy and wisdom, ultimately playing a key role in Jolene’s emotional growth. Her arc illuminates the novel’s exploration of hidden pain, the need for connection, and the possibility of redemption across differences.

Plot Role

Rhonda functions as both a foil and a catalyst for Jolene. Early on, she represents the office culture Jolene despises — the tinsel wars, the micromanaging, the passive-aggressive group chats. Yet as Jolene gains illicit access to her coworkers’ emails, she uncovers Rhonda’s secret: a years-long stream of unanswered messages to Carl. This discovery humanizes Rhonda and forces Jolene to confront her own treatment of her mother. By the novel’s end, Rhonda becomes an unexpected confidante, the one person who forgives Jolene’s privacy violations and offers her a path forward.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Rhonda’s primary motivation is preserving the memory of who Carl was before his illness. In Chapter 35, she breaks down in the bathroom, telling Jolene, “My son would be mortified if he knew what he was doing. He’s not that person.” She speaks in past tense about being a proud mother, revealing that she has already begun the grieving process — even though Carl is not dead. Her fierce protectiveness also emerges when she warns Jolene about Caitlin and later assigns Armin to cover HR meetings after he mentions Carl.

Her fear of irrelevance drives her workplace behavior. She clings to paper records and her Rolodex because digital tools threaten her sense of purpose. When Gregory denies her a replacement credit card after losing three in one year, she stiffens — not just from embarrassment, but from the implication that she is no longer competent. This anxiety about being “useless” (her own word in the bathroom scene) fuels her need to stay busy, whether through Morale Booster emails or knitting projects.

Despite her prickly exterior, Rhonda shows genuine warmth when given the chance. At Caitlin’s party, she gets drunk with Jolene and admits she has long wondered if Jolene was “mad at me for something.” She accepts Jolene’s apology for the tinsel incident with grace. Later, after the truth about the surveillance comes out, Rhonda writes Jolene a letter (Chapter 49) expressing forgiveness and hope: “You’re a kind person, Jolene. … I can accept what has happened, but I don’t have to accept what will be.” That line crystallizes her core trait: stubborn hope.

Chronological Arc

  • Early chapters: Rhonda is seen through Jolene’s cynical lens — stealing creamer, over-printing, complaining about her son. In group chats, she calls Jolene “unpleasant” and worries about her stealing a wheel from a chair. The reader shares Jolene’s irritation.

  • Chapter 17: Jolene reads Rhonda’s emails to Carl. The revelation of a mother begging her son to reply shifts the reader’s sympathy. Rhonda also warns Jolene about Caitlin, a quiet act of solidarity.

  • Chapter 27: At Caitlin’s party, Rhonda and Jolene bond over wine. Rhonda confesses she always wondered if Jolene was angry at her. They toast “to being right.” This is the first thaw.

  • Chapter 35: The bathroom scene. Rhonda sobs about mourning Carl while he’s alive, her lost friends, her fear of being useless. Jolene hugs her and whispers, “You’re not alone.” This is the emotional turning point.

  • Chapter 49: After being fired, Jolene receives Rhonda’s letter. It contains no anger — only understanding. Rhonda includes her home number and a winking emoji. She has accepted her son’s illness and chosen to build a new life.

  • Chapter 51: One year later, at Rhonda’s retirement party, she glows. She runs three crochet classes at a community center, has trained Miley as a pupil, and beams at Jolene. The arc is complete: from lonely, grieving employee to fulfilled mentor and friend.

Relationships

With Jolene: The arc moves from mutual annoyance to genuine friendship. Rhonda’s letter explicitly forgives the spying, choosing to remember the bathroom hug and the party. At the retirement party, Jolene feels “lucky” to have known her.

With Armin: Tense. Armin snaps at Rhonda when she criticizes his sneakers and mentions Carl (Chapter 17). But after Armin quits to care for his dying mother, he admits that Rhonda was the only one who sent flowers and muffins. She becomes a support for him too.

With Caitlin: Superficial. They coordinate against Jolene in early chat messages, but Caitlin uses Rhonda as a tool. Rhonda eventually sees through this, as shown when she warns Jolene.

With Carl: The central wound. Rhonda emails him monthly — recipes, birthday invitations, pleas for contact. She never receives a reply. In the bathroom, she voices the painful truth that she must wish him to go to jail while still loving him. The lack of resolution is deliberate: Rhonda learns to live with uncertainty.

Key Decisions and Consequences

  1. Warning Jolene about Caitlin (Chapter 17): Rhonda sends Jolene a subtle heads-up after Caitlin messages her suspiciously. This small risk establishes trust and hints that Rhonda is not Caitlin’s ally.

  2. Calling out Armin’s lateness and sneakers: Though it leads to a harsh rebuke, this moment forces Armin to later reflect on his own secrecy. Rhonda’s bluntness, while off-putting, ultimately pushes others toward honesty.

  3. Writing the letter of forgiveness (Chapter 49): Instead of nursing resentment, Rhonda reaches out. This decision allows Jolene to begin healing and cements their bond. It also models the acceptance Rhonda preaches.

  4. Retiring and teaching crochet (Chapter 51): Rather than staying at a job that no longer values her, Rhonda pursues her passion. The consequence is a life filled with purpose — she trains Miley, runs multiple classes, and looks “younger” than before.

Theme/Symbol Connections

  • Deception and Its Consequences: Rhonda is deceived by Jolene’s surveillance, yet her response — forgiveness — breaks the cycle of suspicion. Her story asks what it means to be known fully and still be accepted. (See the deception theme page.)

  • Workplace Toxicity and Surveillance: Rhonda is a victim of both Gregory’s condescension and Jolene’s spying. Her eventual escape to the community center represents a revolt against the corporate machine. (See the workplace toxicity theme page.)

  • Guilt and Trauma Recovery: Rhonda’s grief over Carl is a form of ambiguous loss. Her arc — from hiding her pain to openly sharing it in the bathroom to teaching others — mirrors a recovery journey. (See the guilt and trauma recovery theme page.)

  • Empathy Across Differences: Rhonda and Jolene share little on the surface: age, background, personality. Yet the bathroom scene proves that shared vulnerability transcends those gaps. (See the empathy theme page.)

  • Cultural and Family Expectations: As a single mother, Rhonda feels the weight of societal judgment — she admits she “lost all my friends” and fears being seen as enabling. Her love for Carl is unconditional, but it clashes with what others deem acceptable. (See the cultural expectations theme page.)

Symbolically, Rhonda’s knitting and crochet represent her need to create connection. At the retirement party, teaching the craft to Miley and others is her way of building a new family. Her unanswered emails function as a motif of unreturned love — a mother’s voice sent into the void, year after year.

Five Book-Specific Questions and Answers

1. What is the biggest secret Rhonda keeps from her coworkers?

Rhonda hides that her son Carl is alive but struggling with addiction, and that she has been mourning him for years while sending unanswered emails. (Explicit from Chapter 17 and 35.)

2. How does Rhonda react when she learns Jolene has been reading her emails?

Initially she is “miffed,” as she writes in her letter (Chapter 49). However, she chooses to forgive Jolene because she remembers the kindness Jolene showed her in the bathroom and at the party. This is a deliberate act of grace, not indifference.

3. Why does Rhonda assign Armin to cover HR meetings after he mentions Carl?

She is hurt by Armin’s dismissive comment about her son (Chapter 17). The assignment is partly protective — she wants to ensure Armin cannot belittle her again — but also reflexive, as she uses her authority to maintain control over her emotional triggers.

4. What ultimately gives Rhonda a sense of purpose after retirement?

Teaching crochet classes at the community center, training Miley as a pupil, and running three sessions a week. At the retirement party, her face is “bright” and she looks younger, suggesting that building a community of learners fulfills her need to nurture.

5. How does Rhonda’s relationship with Jolene differ from her relationship with Caitlin?

With Caitlin, Rhonda maintains a superficial alliance based on shared irritation with Jolene. With Jolene, she develops genuine mutual vulnerability — they share secrets, cry together, and later exchange apologies. Caitlin remains a work acquaintance, while Jolene becomes a friend Rhonda invites into her new life.

For more analysis of the novel’s ending and character arcs, read the ending explained or browse the questions and answers.