Relationships in Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle-Stop Cafe In the novel Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg, there were a lot of characters that have relationships with one another which gave a great impact on the story. The most vital relationships is Evelyn Couch and Virginia “Ninny” Threadgoode, who are also known as Mrs. Ed Couch and Mrs. Cleo Threadgoode. Within the story, Ninny reforms the way that Evelyn sees life. Flagg sets these two women to meet in a nursing home and they become friends despite the age difference between them. Evelyn Couch was a middle aged woman that had problems with her weight being a little on the heavy side. Her main concern is her marriage which she is unhappy with and she feels that she is living an depleted life. She do not like being the stereotype housewife and she feels lost. Evelyn feels that she is really in a bad place when it comes to her marriage when she says “I wish I could kill myself, but I don’t have the courage” (Flagg 66). Come to find out, Evelyn has actually developed menopause and she just didn’t know it until Ninny told her. Ninny began laughing hyterically of the thought of evelyn wanting to kill her self due to her menopause. She keeps coming back to the nursing home after finding out that it feels good to talk about the way she’s feeling to someone else. Ninny Threadgoode is an eighty six year old woman who is a patient in the Rose Terrace Nursing Home. She is too very religious, like most people in this time period. Ninny is a lonely old woman that turns out to be a talker when she met Evelyn. She reveals that she has been a widow for two years. She also revealed that she is a really nice and caring woman when she says “Well, I’m glad, and I’m going to pray for your nerves. You need to go to church and ask the lord to lighten your burdens and see you through this bad period, just like He’s done for me so many times” (Flagg 68). She took a liking to Evelyn and gave her information that has helped her out in the same situation. Mrs. Cleo Threadgoode, the wife of Mr. Cleo Threadgoode has lived her life in Whistle Stop, Alabama until she was put in a nursing home in the 1980’s. She is developing old age but she tells her stories to Evelyn a younger woman who is physically overweight and mentally drain. Ninny is also a woman who is happy with her life and how she lived it. But she was much different from Idgie. Evelyn has changed and was empowered by Ninnys stories of Idgies accomplishments. While fighting the hormonal stages of menopause, she develops a fantasy life as Towanda the Avenger. Evelyn eventually earns a balance and a strong acknowledgement towards Ninny, who treats her as her own daughter. Imogene "Idgie" Threadgoode, which is the youngest of the Threadgoode children, who Ninny described as her sister-in-law. Idgie's had a very close relationship with her older brother Buddy, Buddy is a nick name cut short. Buddy then gets hit by a train and was killed. Idgie was beyond devestated. Idgie distannce her self from formal society for much of her childhood and adolescence until Buddy's previous girlfriend, Ruth Jamison, involves her self to the concerned Threadgoode family. Idgie first refused Ruth's friendship, but then eventually a deep attachment had developed over time. Ruth then leaves the Whistle Stop to marry Frank Bennett and also moves to Valdosta, Georgia. Idgie was really dissappointed due to Ruth's departure. She was so upset at losing her friend and had a hard time to forget her. As time past Idgie went to go visit Ruth, now pregnant and suffering from physical abuse from Frank. Idgie demanded that Ruth leave Frank immediately due to the physical abuse. Idgie then told Frank "if you ever touch her agiain i'll kill you" (Flagg film). Going against Frank's wishes, Ruth returns to the Whistle Stop with Idgie. Ruth continued to live at the Whistle Shop where she named her son Buddy Jr.Papa Threadgoode began to give Idgie money to
