Final answer:
The provided excerpts do not explicitly state what Ellie's mom said about building character, but the texts refer to the notion that experiencing and overcoming challenges could contribute to character development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phrase 'built character' in the context of the excerpts provided doesn't directly appear as a statement from Ellie's mother. However, based on the themes and discussions present in the text snippets, it may be inferred that the concept of 'building character' can be associated with the struggles of life and meeting the challenges that one encounters. Challenges and hardships are often seen metaphorically as character-building experiences.
In one of the excerpts, there is a mention of the possibility of 'building some character' in reference to being prepared for future challenges. This suggests that the process of preparing for difficulties or working through them indeed contributes to character development.