Lena Character Analysis in A Man Called Ove

Lena is a reporter with Ove's local paper who wants desperately to interview Ove following his heroic rescue of the "suit" who fell onto the train tracks. She is incessant and drives Ove to desperate measures to try to avoid her, including locking her in his garage. Lena accepts a deal with Ove and Parvaneh to dig up information on the man in the white shirt who wants to put Rune in assisted living in exchange for an interview with Ove. Later, she moves in with Anders, though the two "don't believe in the institution of marriage."

Lena Character Timeline in A Man Called Ove

The timeline below shows where the character Lena appears in A Man Called Ove. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...into the garage and Ove tells her he doesn't want anything. She introduces herself as Lena from the local newspaper, and explains that she's a journalist, as Ove continues to insist... (full context)

Lena loses Ove's attention as he races past her towards the Škoda that's driving in the... (full context)

...is shocked to hear the man address him by name. The man drives away and Lena comes up behind Ove. Ove asks her how she knows his name and asks Lena... (full context)

A bit later, as Ove shoveled snow, Lena reappeared and tried to talk to Ove. Ove locked himself in his house, but Lena... (full context)

...door with the cat. She heard knocking from inside the garage and Ove looked away. Lena spoke from inside the garage and Parvaneh yelled at Ove about it not being okay... (full context)

Parvaneh asks through the door why Lena wants to talk to Ove. Lena says that Ove is a hero and saved a... (full context)

...disappointed that it had to ride with Nasanin in the back seat. Parvaneh had given Lena a business card and instructed her to call her to talk about Ove. Ove feels... (full context)

...she hands Ove her phone and says it's the journalist. Ove accepts the phone and Lena asks Ove if he read the letter or the newspaper she sent. He hadn't read... (full context)

...Anders, and Adrian appear behind her and say that they will. The man looks suspicious. Lena walks up to the house with a recorder, introduces herself as a journalist, and pulls... (full context)

Lena explains that the papers are records of the man in the white shirt's patients over... (full context)

Lena reminds Ove of what he promised her—an interview—and asks if he's read the letter yet.... (full context)

...saying that people have no sense of boundaries. He replaces her flowers. Earlier that morning, Lena had dropped off a copy of the newspaper. Ove was on the front page looking... (full context)

...Ove resists getting a cell phone with a camera, preferring physical photos instead. By fall, Lena moves in with Anders and Ove backs their moving van in for them. The next... (full context)