Who is Donald, Nell Smith from Stop-time and what is their importance? Stop-time English & Literature "Donald

Donald and Nell are the most noteworthy of what the author suggests is a string of boarders in the New York home of the author's family. Both, interestingly enough, are portrayed quite negatively, with Donald's devotion to Dagmar leading him to simultaneous hatred and mistreatment of Jean. When the manipulative Nell appears on the scene, charitably taken into the home by Jean, it's not hard to get the impression, which the author, incidentally, does not seem to be aware of, that Jean is engaging in a form of revenge on Dagmar. In other words, Dagmar brought in the hateful Donald, who tortured Jean. It may be that, on some level, Jean decides to bring in the hateful Nell to torture Dagmar.