Lee Shaw in The Favorites: Character Analysis of Katarina's Abusive Brother and Guardian
Overview
Lee Shaw is Katarina's older brother and, after their father's death, her legal guardian. He is the novel's earliest and most visceral antagonist, a figure of domestic violence and financial betrayal whose influence lingers long after Katarina leaves home. The text establishes him as a drunk, physically abusive man who resents his sister's ambition and her relationship with Heath Rocha. He steals the inheritance their father left her, and he reappears years later at a gala orchestrated by Ellis Dean, suggesting that his capacity to disrupt Katarina's life never fully disappears. While Lee is not a central character in the later sections of the book, his actions in the opening chapters shape Katarina's drive, her distrust of authority, and her fierce need for independence.
Plot Role
Lee functions as the primary obstacle in Katarina's early life. In the opening chapters, he bursts into her bedroom, attacks Heath, and physically assaults Katarina when she tries to intervene. He slams Heath into a banister, elbows Katarina in the ribs, and later presses a knife to her neck after she slashes his arm. These events force Katarina and Heath to flee the house in Lee's truck, setting the stage for their journey to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and, eventually, to the Lin Ice Academy.
Lee's role extends beyond physical violence. After their father's death, he becomes the primary account holder on Katarina's inheritance. When Katarina turns eighteen and tries to access the funds, she discovers the account is empty—Lee has withdrawn everything, leaving her with a negative balance and overdraft fees. This theft is a turning point: it strips Katarina of financial security and forces her and Heath to rely on low-paying jobs at the Academy, deepening their dependence on Sheila Lin's goodwill.
Later, Lee reappears at a gala in New York, standing with Ellis Dean. The text does not explain how they connected, but his presence signals that Ellis has found a way to weaponize Katarina's past. Lee's return is a reminder that the abuse she endured is not safely behind her; it can be summoned back into her present at any moment.
Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions
Lee's motivations are never explicitly stated, but his actions reveal a pattern of control and resentment. He drinks heavily—the text describes the stench of Marlboros, Jim Beam, and body odor when he enters Katarina's room. He brings home different girls, suggesting a chaotic personal life. He disapproves of Heath, banning him from the house after their father's funeral and later physically attacking him. When Katarina tries to defend Heath, Lee responds with violence, elbowing her and threatening her with a knife.
His theft of the inheritance is the clearest expression of his desire for control. By draining the account, he ensures Katarina cannot leave him or build an independent life. The text shows that he is the primary account holder, and the teller confirms that "Leland Shaw" withdrew the funds. This is not a passive act of neglect but a deliberate financial sabotage.
Lee also exhibits a possessive, territorial attitude toward the house and toward Katarina. He says "It's my house" when Heath is present, and he screws Katarina's window shut to prevent her from tossing supplies down to Heath. These actions suggest a need to dominate his sister's environment and relationships. Interpretation: Lee's abuse likely stems from a combination of alcoholism, resentment of Katarina's ambition, and a fragile sense of masculinity threatened by Heath's presence. The text does not provide his internal perspective, so any psychological explanation remains speculative.
Chronological Arc
Lee's arc is relatively brief but impactful. In the opening chapters, he is a constant, menacing presence in the Shaw household. After Katarina and Heath flee, he disappears from the narrative for many years. The next explicit appearance is at the gala in New York, where Katarina spots him talking to Ellis Dean. The text does not describe any further interactions between Lee and Katarina after that moment, but his reappearance serves as a narrative device to reintroduce the trauma of her childhood.
The epilogue does not mention Lee, suggesting that he remains absent from Katarina's adult life. However, his theft of the inheritance and his abuse are part of the backstory that explains Katarina's fierce independence and her reluctance to trust others. His arc is not one of redemption or change; he remains a static figure of menace, defined by his cruelty.
Relationships
With Katarina: Lee is her abuser and guardian. He uses physical violence, verbal degradation, and financial control to dominate her. Katarina's response is a mix of fear, defiance, and a desperate desire to escape. She tells Heath she'll "kill Lee" after seeing his bruised eye, and she later slashes Lee's arm with a knife. Their relationship is defined by a power imbalance that Lee enforces through force.
With Heath: Lee is openly hostile toward Heath, banning him from the house and attacking him. He sees Heath as a threat to his control over Katarina. The physical confrontation on the staircase is the climax of this hostility, and it directly leads to Katarina and Heath's flight.
With Ellis Dean: The gala scene shows Lee in conversation with Ellis, but the text does not reveal the nature of their connection. Interpretation: Ellis likely uses Lee to destabilize Katarina, perhaps by exposing her past or by threatening her reputation. This alliance underscores Lee's continued willingness to harm Katarina, even from a distance.
With their father: Lee becomes guardian after their father's death. The father is mentioned as having bought a signed photo of Sheila Lin, but there is no evidence of Lee's relationship with him. Lee's assumption of guardianship seems to be a legal formality that he abuses for his own benefit.
Key Decisions and Consequences
- Attacking Heath and Katarina: This violence forces Katarina to retaliate with a knife, and the confrontation ends with Lee pressing a blade to her neck. The immediate consequence is that Katarina and Heath flee the house, using Lee's truck. This escape is the catalyst for their skating career.
- Stealing the inheritance: Lee withdraws all funds from Katarina's account, leaving her with nothing. This forces her to rely on the Academy's low-paying jobs and makes her more dependent on Sheila Lin. It also fuels her determination to succeed on her own terms.
- Banning Heath from the house: This drives Heath to hide in the stable, where Katarina smuggles supplies. It also intensifies their bond and their shared resentment of Lee.
- Reappearing at the gala: Lee's presence with Ellis Dean introduces a new threat. The text does not show the outcome of this encounter, but it suggests that Lee remains a tool for those who wish to harm Katarina.
Themes and Symbol Connections
Lee embodies the theme of manipulation and control. His physical violence and financial theft are direct attempts to control Katarina's body, choices, and future. He also connects to sacrifice and the cost of success, as Katarina's escape from him requires her to leave her home and endure years of struggle. His abuse is part of the cost she pays for her ambition.
Lee also touches on identity and self-reinvention. Katarina's desire to become a skater is explicitly linked to escaping her brother—she says skating became her hope for escape. Lee represents the identity she must shed: the powerless, abused girl. His reappearance at the gala threatens to drag her back into that identity, which is why his presence is so destabilizing.
In contrast, Lee's behavior highlights the theme of performance vs authenticity. While Katarina and Heath perform on the ice, Lee's violence is raw and unperformed. He does not hide his cruelty; he wields it openly. This contrast underscores the novel's exploration of what is real versus what is staged.
Finally, Lee's theft of the inheritance connects to ambition vs love. Katarina's ambition is partly a response to Lee's attempts to crush her. Her love for Heath is also shaped by their shared escape from him. Lee is the negative force against which both ambition and love are defined.
Questions and Answers
1. Why does Lee steal Katarina's inheritance?
The text shows that Lee is the primary account holder and that he withdrew all funds, leaving the account with a negative balance. His motivation is not explicitly stated, but the act aligns with his pattern of controlling Katarina's life. By taking the money, he ensures she cannot leave him or build an independent future. Interpretation: the theft is a deliberate act of financial abuse designed to maintain his power over her.
2. How does Lee's abuse shape Katarina's character?
Lee's violence and control drive Katarina to seek escape through skating. She describes skating as her hope for freedom from her brother. His abuse also makes her fiercely independent and distrustful of authority, as seen in her later conflicts with coaches and officials. The text shows that she is willing to fight back—she slashes Lee with a knife—which foreshadows her combative nature as an adult.
3. What role does Lee play in the gala scene?
At the gala, Katarina spots Lee talking to Ellis Dean. The text does not reveal their conversation, but Lee's presence is clearly orchestrated by Ellis, who is known for manipulating situations. Lee's reappearance serves to reintroduce Katarina's traumatic past and to suggest that Ellis is using Lee as a weapon against her. The scene ends with Katarina gasping and stepping back, indicating the shock and threat Lee still represents.
4. How does Lee's guardianship affect Katarina's skating career?
Lee's guardianship is abusive and neglectful. He does not support her skating, instead banning Heath and creating a hostile home environment. His theft of her inheritance forces her to work low-paying jobs at the Academy, which limits her training time and financial stability. This hardship makes her more dependent on Sheila Lin and more desperate to succeed, but it also fuels her determination to prove herself.
5. What does Lee's reappearance signify for Katarina's arc?
Lee's return at the gala signifies that Katarina cannot fully escape her past. Even after years of success, the abuse she endured remains a vulnerability that others can exploit. His presence with Ellis Dean suggests that her past is being weaponized against her, and it forces her to confront the fact that her identity as a survivor is not something she can leave behind. The scene underscores the theme that control and manipulation can resurface at any time.
For a deeper look at how Lee's actions ripple through the story, see the ending explained and the questions and answers pages. You can also explore the novel's broader themes on ambition vs love and performance vs authenticity.