Lauren

Outer characterization

In “The Path to Heaven” by Mary O’Donnell, Lauren is an Irish writer. She is relatively wealthy and successful, since she feels privileged about her life (l. 62) and “her books were selling” (l. 63). She also can afford to hire someone to do her housework. 

Lauren is not physically described in detail, but we learn that she is “as old as Kalina’s mother in Sobibor, Poland, but according to Kalina, she was more glamorous and much younger-looking than her mother.” (ll. 42-43). She has a son and a daughter, both adults, since she mentions them flying home from London for Christmas (ll. 60-61). We can therefore assume that she is middle-aged.

Inner characterization

Lauren is a person who appears successful and glamorous on the outside but suffers from anxiety and guilt. Her anxiety is seen in the way she worries about how people perceive her because of her job. 

Her guilt is mainly cau...