Characters

The main character of the novel Brick Lane by Monica Ali is Nazneen. The novel follows her life as she moves to London after an arranged marriage and struggles to gain control over her life and become independent. Nazneen has been taught her entire life to never fight fate, which affects the way she lives her life and leaves her dissatisfied and unhappy. Several events however teach Nazneen the importance of taking action, and she eventually learns to create the life she wishes to live. 

Another important character is Nazneen’s husband Chanu. He is a proud and educated man who struggles to achieve the success he aspires to in the country he immigrated to. This leaves him deeply unsatisfied. At the same time, Chanu also strives to preserve his cultural identity, which often creates friction between himself and his Westernized daughters. 

Nazneen’s sister Hasina is in many ways Nazneen’s opposite. She is determined to live her life on her own terms from a young age and elopes with a man and runs away from home. Her letters to Nazneen detail her struggles as a poor, uneducated woman living in Bangladesh. 

Razia and Mrs Islam are two of Nazneen’s neighbors in the Tower Hamlets estate. While Razia is an independent woman who becomes Nazneen’s closest friend, Mrs Islam is a ruthless and manipulative woman who takes advantage of Nazneen and Chanu. Karim also plays an important role as he eventually becomes Nazneen’s lover. Born and raised in England, Karim yearns to connect to his cultural heritage. 

Other important characters include Dr Azad, Nazneen and Chanu’s daughters, and Nazneen’s mother Rupban. The relationship between Nazneen and the two men in her life – her husband Chanu and her lover Karim – is also a significant part of the narrative.