Erin Hannon (played by Ellie Kemper) came on The Office in season five when she took Pam's place as the receptionist. When Erin joined Dunder Mifflin, she was young, naive, and eager to learn. Funny enough, when the series ended, Erin was the same woman but with more career experience and a family to call her own.
Every character on The Office had their low and high moments but Erin's backstory was more upsetting than most of her colleagues. She lacked self-confidence, awareness, and tried hard to fit in with her co-workers. But no matter how cruel life could be, Erin always came out the other side with a smile.
She Was Given Up For Adoption
Viewers learn early on that Erin grew up in foster care. She wasn't sure who her parents were or why they gave her up. Erin made it clear that the foster system is no place for a child and how hard it can be for the kids who watch everyone get adopted but them. Eventually, Phyllis mentions that she became pregnant in high school and gave away her baby girl for adoption. Due to their ages, there was a chance Erin could have been Phyllis's daughter. The sad thing is the bloodwork came back and debunked that theory.
But Was Never Adopted
When Nellie came to work at Dunder Mifflin, she was going through the process of trying to adopt a baby. Nellie talked about the process with Erin when we learned that Erin was never actually adopted. She simply grew out of foster care and moved in with others when she reached the age of 18.
This is why Erin subconsciously viewed people like Michael and Phyllis as her parental figures. She respects them and can be herself around them. It was wishful thinking for Erin because it was too painful imagining a world without parents.
She Only Dated Gabe So She Wouldn't Be Fired
Erin felt betrayed when she found out Andy was formerly engaged and sleeping with Angela and never told her. She felt like everyone in the office was laughing at her. Erin had no choice but to end her relationship with Andy and stick to being friends.
However, at the start of season seven, viewers find out that Gabe asked Erin out over the summer and that the only reason she accepted was because he was her boss. There was no chemistry between Erin and Gabe and they didn't have anything in common besides working for the same company.
Her Competitive Side Stems From A Dark Place
In season nine's "Paper Airplane," Erin was now in a happy and stable relationship with Pete (aka Plop). However, there were sides of her that she wasn't ready for Pete to see.
The office did a paper airplane contest and the thought of winning a cash prize went to Erin's head. She threw a tantrum when she didn't do well and got in her co-workers' faces when she did better than them. She was so ashamed of her competitive nature that she was trying to hide from Pete. She explained to the cameras that as a child in foster care, she had to be tough. She fought kids for attention, food, and even parents. Because of her youth, her competitive side is through the roof.
She Was Treated Terribly By A Man She Loved
Andy wasn't just Erin's boyfriend, he was her best friend. Like Jim and Pam, the two had an ongoing friendship that couldn't be broken. They adored each other and supported each other through all of their personal ups and downs. However, Andy got to a place of selfishness and treated Erin horribly. He ignored her, abandoned her, and didn't listen to her feelings. It was hard to see sweet Erin with someone that was so in his own head.
She Didn't Think She Was Good Enough
Erin was brave and outgoing but she had low self-esteem. It's assumed because of her upbringing that Erin didn't have the same self-love that most of her co-workers had.
When Clark tried to make the moves on Erin, he lied to her about a job opening for a newscaster and that she would be perfect for it. He groomed her to do what he said so she could get the job, which is pretty twisted. Erin took the opportunity very seriously because girls like her didn't get many chances in life. It was sad to hear her think so low of herself and her capabilities. (And it was gross of Clark to lie to her.)
She Was Hospitalized For Three Years
In the episode "St. Patrick's Day, "Erin subtly mentioned that she was once hospitalized from ages three-through-six for an undisclosed reason. Then, in a deleted scene from "Niagara," Erin continued talking about her health issues when she noted that she was born prematurely and found it hard to eat solid foods.
Seeing how sweet and humble Erin is, it's unfortunate to know she had a tortured childhood with little support.
Andy & Robert California Judged Her Work Performance
Erin had a hard time adjusting to life at Dunder Mifflin when Michael left. Michael was like her security blanket; someone who supported her and didn't judge her. As soon as Andy took charge as the regional manager and Robert California was spending more time at the office, she began to second-guess herself. She felt foolish when she gave Robert cold coffee, and she felt worse when Andy asked Pam to fax something for him instead of asking her.
Things became even more awkward at the Halloween party when she was under pressure to deliver a spooky party aimed at adults. Erin was slowly losing it.
Andy Never Told Her About Angela
Secretary's Day started out amazing for Erin. Andy decorated the entire office and got all of the employees to do something nice for Erin's big day. For once, she felt appreciated and seen. She even got to go out to lunch with her hero, Michael. Sadly, it was at lunch where she found out that Andy was engaged to Angela before dating her. Erin felt like that was information she should have been told at the start of their relationship and hated that she was the one left out.
She Felt Like Nothing Was For Her In Scranton
Erin slowly got to a negative point in Scranton where she didn't feel like she belonged there anymore. Andy was dating another woman and didn't give Erin the same respect he used to and she didn't feel fulfilled in her job.
When the opportunity to go to Florida for work came up, Erin took the bait and decided to never go back to Scranton. There was no one and nothing waiting for her, so why go back? Luckily, Andy traveled down to Florida to bring Erin home but it was a dark time in her life.