Ellie is characterized as "[s]trong, witty, and a little rough around the edges."[1] Her emotional trauma is accentuated after her encounter with David.[2][3] Having lost many people in her life, she suffers from severe monophobia and survivor's guilt.[4] This results in her becoming a very hardened person; she uses violence without hesitation[5][6][7] and frequently swears.[8] Ellie also feels worthless, believing her life is a burden, and that her death would be beneficial for others.[9] While she shows initiative, she is not as adept at survival as Joel, being somewhat impulsive and naïve,[10][11] and unable to swim.[12] Despite this, she displays great physical resilience, emotional strength and complete fearlessness, as demonstrated by her ability to look after both herself and Joel when he is severely injured.