Final answer:
In the novel 'Ellen Foster' by Kaye Gibbons, Ellen distrusts others because she perceives them as deceptive, judgmental, and blind to their own faults.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the novel Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons, Ellen distrusts others in several ways. One way is that she often feels that people are deceptive and untrustworthy. For example, she observes the women in the Withersteen House being false and dishonest towards Jane Withersteen. Another way Ellen distrusts others is that she is aware of the negative judgments people make about her appearance and she feels their disgust. She experiences this when the man Wolfe, who is otherwise kind to her, shows discomfort and loathing towards her because of her deformity. Lastly, Ellen distrusts others because she believes they are blind to their own faults and unable to recognize their own guilt and the erosion of their relationships. She sees this in her own sisters' inability to acknowledge their betrayal of their benefactress, Jane Withersteen.