The main character

The main character of “Cyprus Avenue” by Lucy Caldwell is a developing character, as she changes as a result of the action, of meeting Nirupam and being able to share with him the burden of growing up in the shadow of her dead sister.

From the main character’s outer characterisation, we find out that she grew up in Belfast and lives in London where she works as “an editorial assistant at a small publishing house” (ll. 113-114). She is the youngest daughter in her family, but her older sister Janey died when the narrator was “only six” (l. 74).

In the story, the main character is traveling to Belfast to visits her parents for the Christmas holidays.

NB: Note that we are never directly told the main character's gender in the story. We have chosen to refer to her as 'she' for simplicity, but it might also be a man. 

Inner characterisation

The main character’s inner characterisation is conveyed through her thoughts, actions, and attitude. At the beginning of the story, we discover that she does not want to visit her parents for the winter holidays and feels pressured to do it: “You will feel yourself struggling to shoulder the weight of it; will want, more keenly than ever, to shrug it off, just this once, just for one year…” (ll. 1-3)

She tries coming up with excuses when...