# Irene — Those Barren Leaves character guide > Irene in Those Barren Leaves by Aldous Huxley. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Irene Aldwinkle, little Irene **First appearance:** 0000-part-i-an-evening-at-mrs-aldwinkle-s ## Snapshot Mrs. Aldwinkle's beautiful young niece, torn between doglike devotion to her aunt's artistic gospel and the stubborn pull of pretty underclothing and ordinary life. ## Who they are At eighteen and young for her age, Irene adores Aunt Lilian and dutifully paints watercolours and writes verses because her aunt insists art justifies existence. Yet she secretly suspects her chain-stitch beats her painting and that nightdresses are more useful than poems, a quiet rebellion of the Natural Woman against the sacred. Her docility and her drifting attention make her the still center around which the villa's artistic and romantic weather turns. ## Relationships ### [Lord Hovenden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/lord_hovenden) _romantic_ Irene and Lord Hovenden are young lovers, with a sweet but somewhat naive romantic attachment. ### [Aunt Lilian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/aunt_lilian) _family_ Aunt Lilian is Irene's caring and protective aunt, offering a maternal counterpoint to Mrs. Aldwinkle's harshness. ### [Y](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/y) _social_ Irene and Y are distant acquaintances; she finds him odd and slightly unsettling, while he ignores her. ### [Lord Hovenden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/lord_hovenden) _romantic_ Irene and Lord Hovenden are young lovers, with a sweet but somewhat naive romantic attachment. ### [Lord Hovenden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/lord_hovenden) _romantic_ Irene and Lord Hovenden are young lovers, with a sweet but somewhat naive romantic attachment. ### [Aunt Lilian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/aunt_lilian) _family_ Aunt Lilian is Irene's caring and protective aunt, offering a maternal counterpoint to Mrs. Aldwinkle's harshness. ### [Y](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/y) _social_ Irene and Y are distant acquaintances; she finds him odd and slightly unsettling, while he ignores her. ### [Aunt Lilian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/aunt_lilian) _family_ Aunt Lilian is Irene's caring and protective aunt, offering a maternal counterpoint to Mrs. Aldwinkle's harshness. ### [Y](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/y) _social_ Irene and Y are distant acquaintances; she finds him odd and slightly unsettling, while he ignores her. ## In the story ### [Part I: An Evening at Mrs. Aldwinkle’s](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/part-i-an-evening-at-mrs-aldwinkle-s) Present at the gathering, observed in her interactions with others. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/ii) Mrs. Aldwinkle's niece, who accidentally reveals a hidden stash of rings while straightening a chair cover. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/iv) Timidly but determinedly quotes Bossuet on passion to support Aunt Lilian, blushes at Mr. Cardan's encouragement, and recalls her own past infatuations. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/vi) Torn between painting/writing and sewing underclothing; influenced by Aunt Lilian's artistic ideals. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/vii) Silently follows her aunt, Mrs. Aldwinkle, as an attendant shadow. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/viii) Irene dutifully brushes her aunt's hair, struggling to stay awake and suppress yawns. She is embarrassed by Mrs. Aldwinkle's teasing about Lord Hovenden and feels pressured to prove her capacity for passion. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/vii) The little niece; eager to show off the estate, but is rebuked by Mrs. Aldwinkle for suggesting a climb. ### [Part III: The Loves of the Parallels](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/part-iii-the-loves-of-the-parallels) Irene's inner conflict and romantic feelings are central to the parallel loves explored. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/i) Acting as her aunt's confidante and spy, she discovers Chelifer on the tower but lies to Mrs. Aldwinkle to spare her feelings. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/iv) Deflects Hovenden's questions, admits to avoiding him, reconciles briefly, then cries after being kissed; later repeats a provocative phrase about contraception at dinner. ### [Mrs. Chelifer's Arrival](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/x) Her spying duties cease with Mrs. Chelifer's arrival; likes Mrs. Chelifer. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/xi) Sews a pink chemise, feels guilty about neglecting art, plans to tell Aunt Lilian she likes Hovenden. ### [Part IV: The Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/part-iv-the-journey) Struggles with inner conflict and her feelings for Hovenden during the journey. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/i) Rides with Hovenden, enjoys the speed, and engages in light banter about the landscape and history. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/ii) Receives a whispered comment from Lord Hovenden about the paintings. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/iv) Spends time with Lord Hovenden in Rome, dancing at a cabaret and shopping for their future home. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/v) Becomes very red upon spotting Lord Hovenden on the barrow, and later appears thoughtful and sad-faced. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/vi) Questions her aunt about babies, is sent to bed early, and later discovers Miss Elver in pain and Mrs. Aldwinkle missing. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/viii) Mentioned as unaware of Mrs. Aldwinkle's sudden reappearance during the medical crisis. ### [Part V: Conclusions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/part-v-conclusions) Her inner conflict reaches a conclusion in this part. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/chapters/ii) Confesses her love for Hovenden and plans to marry him, leading to a tearful argument with Mrs. Aldwinkle, who opposes the match. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters/irene - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/those_barren_leaves_se/characters