Lovely (Anwara Begum) Character Analysis in Brick Lane

Wife of James and mother to Jimmy and Daisy, she was once a beauty queen and now loves to entertain. Always on the hunt for a new charity to patronize (so that she might get a flattering picture of herself in the newspaper), Lovely is shallow and driven only by a desire for status, wealth, and fame.

Lovely (Anwara Begum) Character Timeline in Brick Lane

The timeline below shows where the character Lovely (Anwara Begum) appears in Brick Lane. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...is her position in the household of James, whose real name is Jamshed Rashid, and Lovely, whose real name is Anwara Begum. They brought her from the home for fallen women... (full context)

...American singer named “Britainy Spear.” She hurries along on an errand she is running for Lovely. Hasina’s duties include caring for the children, cleaning the house, and washing the dishes. A... (full context)

Lovely, a former beauty queen, loves to “entertain.” She often finds her children too much for... (full context)

When Jimmy and Daisy are occupying each other, Lovely finds time to tell Hasina her problems, and they are many. She worries that her... (full context)

Lovely also worries that James’s company, Bangla National Plastic, could be in hot water over its... (full context)

...April 2001. She tells Nazneen that everything is the same. She is fine, working for Lovely and James. She is making friends with Syeeda, the maid next door, who is completely... (full context)

James and Lovely have dinner together and, while Hasina cleans around them, James grumbles about the country needing... (full context)

Cultural and Religious Sexism Theme Icon

In a letter dated June 2001, Hasina writes of telling Lovely about Monju. Monju was married off at thirteen and soon had a son. When the... (full context)

Lovely is getting ready for the Pantene Head and Shoulder Show at the Sheraton Winter Garden.... (full context)

In the next letter, also dated July, Hasina writes of Lovely’s latest dinner party, this one for Betty and her husband. The men talk about politics... (full context)

In a letter dated August 2001, Hasina writes about Lovely’s restlessness and discontentment. Lovely is angry partially because Betty recently had her picture in the... (full context)

...feel of the sheets. Then she goes to the master bedroom and begins to apply Lovely’s makeup to her face. Zaid comes in while she is putting kohl on her eyes... (full context)

...her friend is now relieved from her suffering, and she is grateful to report that Lovely is making good on her promise to start a new charity. It will help child... (full context)

...In it, Hasina writes of having an unquiet mind. She tends the children and cleans Lovely’s house, but she is no longer satisfied. Nothing that she sees or touches or cares... (full context)