To the Lighthouse characters

James Ramsay

James Ramsay is the youngest child in the family. During the whole story, he demonstrates deep love and empathy to his mother, Mrs. Ramsay. On the contrary, he has no feeling towards his father, treats him with indifference and loathing. As times goes by, James shows many treats of a character...

Mrs. Ramsay

Mrs. Ramsay is a warm-hearted, loving and caring young woman. She is a mother of eight children. She is a dynamic and complex character. She stands like a mediator between the harshness of her husband and sensitiveness of her children. Mr. Ramsay tends to demonstrate insecurity and the task of Mrs...

Mr. Ramsay

Mr. Ramsay is a character that bears considerable responsibility for the family of eight children and a wife. He is harsh, rude and expressive. He is strict with his children. Mr. Ramsay adores his family, however, tends to demonstrate tyrannical attitude from time to time. He is a professor of...

Lily Briscoe

Lily is a young single woman, who is an artist. She is the friend of Mrs. Ramsay and her neighbor as well. Lily started to paint a portrait of her friend; however, he has troubles finishing it. She has a pleasant appearance and nice personality, but still being unmarried. Mr. Ramsay attempts to...

Paul Rayley

Paul Rayley is a young man. He is the family friend, who visits Ramsay family on the Skye Island at their summer home. This character is very empathetic and flexible. He is a static hero, and his personality does not change much throughout the whole plotline. Mrs. Ramsay insists on his proposal to...

Minta Doyle

Minta Doyle is a young, charismatic and energetic woman. She visits the Ramsay family on the Isle of Skye. She wore very sensible closes, which most of the women would refuse to put on. During one of Minta’s walks with Paul, she lost her grandmother’s broth. The author demonstrates...

Charles Tansley

Charles Tansey is a young man, having an exciting personality. He is a philosopher and a pupil of Mr. Ramsay. The Ramsay family invited him to the house for summer. As the author endeavors to depict various types of personalities in society, he is a desperate atheist. Charles is very rude and...

William Bankes

William Bankes is a friend of Mr. Ramsay; he stays on the Island of Skye as he was invited. William is a botanist by profession. This character is a widower at the age of sixty. Mrs. Ramsay tries to find a woman for him and wants him to marry Lily Briscoe. However, they remain close friends and...

Augustus Carmichael

As the author endeavors to depict various social layers in her novel, she tries to create various types of personalities melted in one place. Augustus Carmichael is a desperate and depressed poet. Because of his condition, he takes opium to fins a pleasure. He did not achieve much success until...

Andrew Ramsay

Andrew Ramsay is the oldest son of eight children of Ramsay family. He is very knowledgeable and competent person. Andrew makes efforts to build a successful career of a mathematician. He had good relations with Paul Rayley and Minta Doyle. He joined them when they were walking on the beach. His...

Jasper Ramsay

Jasper Ramsay is a small son; he is very joyful and enjoys his life to the fullest. He likes to play a lot, and sometimes his games disturb other people. His hobby is shooting birds, and it makes Mrs., Ramsay, his mother, very nervous. The writer, who made this character wanted to depict the...

Roger Ramsay

Roger is another son of Ramsay family. He has a free Spirit and adventurous soul. Taking into consideration that the plot is loaded with the complex characters, having complicated fates and facing various life difficulties, this boy is calm and relaxed. He is wild and energetic. By his temperament...

Prue Ramsay

Prue Ramsay is the most beautiful of all children in the Ramsay family. She is older than her sisters were on the edge of womanhood. She is an embodiment of beauty and tenderness. Her behavior and manners are perfect and impressive. Mrs. Ramsay expects her to be the most beautiful of her children...

Rose Ramsay

Rose Ramsay is one of the daughters of Mrs. and Mr. Ramsay. She has a perfect aesthetic taste and is engaged in the art of making things beautiful. She has a great feeling for matching things together. It concerns both food and other elements, like jewelry, for example. Rose enjoys making...