Characters

The most important character in the short story “The Skirt” by Zoe Lambert is Bethany, since the plot mainly revolves around her lack of control and her problematic and strained relationship with her family, but also with the other people she interacts with.

Bethany is a physically disabled woman living with her mother and brother Rob in a poorly maintained neighborhood in modern-day Manchester. She has difficulties coping with her condition and with the controlling attitude of members of her family, such as her mother and her aunt Joan. Bethany’s mother is a hypochondriac, constantly taking various pills and visiting a large number of alternative doctors. She has tried to impose her lifestyle on others too, especially her children.

The story also features a number of secondary characters, such as Bethany’s brother Rob (who is unemployed and lives with her and their mother), Bethany’s aunt Joan (who appears to be as controlling as her mother), several doctors who try to diagnose and treat Bethany, and a crowd of people from the bus. The story also hints at a mysterious man who might have played a role in Bethany’s injury.