Being Mortal Characters

Dr. Atul Gawande is the author and narrator of Being Mortal. The book not only makes a general argument for how medicine and end-of-life care should be improved, but it also chronicles Gawande’s personal… read analysis of Dr. Atul Gawande

Gawande’s father is a surgeon who immigrated from a rural village in India to pursue opportunity in America. He is largely healthy until his 70s, when he starts to experience neck pain and tingling… read analysis of Gawande’s Father

Jewel Douglass is one of Gawande’s patients. Douglass is 72 years old and has metastatic ovarian cancer when Gawande begins treating her. After three rounds of chemotherapy, a tumor begins pressing against her bowels… read analysis of Jewel Douglass

Lou is Shelley’s father. Lou is widowed at 70 and lives independently until he is 88 years old, at which point he is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, has trouble with his memory, and starts… read analysis of Lou Sanders

Alice Hobson is Kathleen Hobson’s grandmother and Jim Hobson’s mother. Gawande meets Alice when he and Kathleen start dating. Alice lives independently until she is 84 years old, when she starts to fall… read analysis of Alice Hobson

Keren Brown Wilson is one of the originators of the concept of assisted living. She initially wanted to create a place where the elderly and disabled could live with autonomy despite their physical limitations—an… read analysis of Keren Brown Wilson

Shelley is Lou’s daughter. When Lou is 88, his health starts to deteriorate, so Shelley has him move in with her. This not only makes Lou feel that he has lost control over his… read analysis of Shelley

Felix Silverstone is a national leader in geriatrics and Bella Silverstone’s husband. Gawande meets Felix when he is 87 years old. Felix and Bella live in a retirement home, and Felix takes care of… read analysis of Felix Silverstone

Bella Silverstone is Felix’s wife. In her late 80s, Bella’s vision degenerates and she becomes very frail. She and Felix live together in a retirement home until one day she falls and breaks both… read analysis of Bella Silverstone

Paul Marcoux is Gawande’s colleague and Sara Monopoli’s oncologist. Marcoux provides Sara with many treatment options for her terminal lung cancer, but he never truly helps her confront the reality of her disease… read analysis of Dr. Paul Marcoux

Jack is Susan Block’s father. At 74 years old, doctors discover that he has a spinal cord tumor and they have to operate on him to prevent him from becoming quadriplegic, though the… read analysis of Jack

Sitaram is Gawande’s paternal grandfather, who lived in a rural village in India, built his farm from nothing, and lived to be 110. Sitaram maintained control of his farm until he died, even going… read analysis of Sitaram/Gawande’s Grandfather

Laura Carstensen is a Stanford psychologist who studies the changes in people’s motivations over time. She was inspired to pursue this work when she was involved in a nearly fatal car crash at 21 years… read analysis of Laura Carstensen

Lazaroff is one of Gawande’s first patients, when Gawande is a junior resident at his hospital. Lazaroff is in his 60s and has metastatic prostate cancer, and when one day he can’t control… read analysis of Joseph Lazaroff

Bill Thomas is the medical director of a nursing home. When he realizes how dejected many of the residents are, he devises a plan to bring animals, plants, and children into the nursing home… read analysis of Bill Thomas

Susan Block is a palliative care specialist at Gawande’s hospital. She personally understands the importance of having difficult conversations with patients, as she had a difficult conversation with her father Jack before a… read analysis of Susan Block

Peg Bachelder is Gawande’s daughter’s piano teacher who has a rare soft-tissue cancer. After running out of cancer treatment options, Gawande convinces Peg to try hospice care. With hospice, Peg is able to live… read analysis of Peg Bachelder

Gawande’s mother is a doctor who immigrated from India. She struggles to come to terms with Gawande’s father’s impending death, but she (along with Gawande) helps him assess his priorities in the final… read analysis of Gawande’s Mother

Jessie Richardson is Keren Brown Wilson’s mother. Wilson was inspired to build her assisted living facility to help Jessie, who suffered a stroke at 55 and became paralyzed on one side of her body… read analysis of Jessie Richardson

Sarah Creed is a hospice worker with Gawande’s hospital. She explains to Gawande that the goal of hospice is to allow people with terminal illnesses to have the fullest lives possible in the… read analysis of Sarah Creed