Pack Up the Moon

Lauren is the female protagonist, and half the chapters are written from her first-person point of view. She dies early in the novel, and much of her characterization comes from the letters she writes to her deceased father and to Josh. She has “cognac-colored” eyes, dark red hair, and pale skin. She lost her father in college, which inspired her to change majors from fashion design to architecture. She works at an architectural firm until her death, designing public spaces like T stop in Boston, an overlook in Providence, and a wing at a library. 

Lauren faces the harrowing challenge of a terminal illness, diagnosed after her marriage to Josh. Throughout the book, Lauren displays strength, resilience, and compassion as she works to secure her husband’s future happiness. Her character is marked by a desire to make a positive impact, and she frequently demonstrates her altruistic nature by helping others.

Lauren’s determination to leave a legacy is showcased in her letters to Josh, while her vulnerable self comes through in her letters to her father. Lauren’s character is dynamic and evolves as she faces her diagnosis with courage, reflects on her past and her own grief, and finds solace in her deep connection with Josh. She is associated with imagery of birds and roses, which symbolize hope and love.

Blond, tall, and athletic, Sarah is Lauren’s best friend who delivers Lauren’s posthumous letters to Josh each month. She attended the University of Rhode Island on scholarship and then earned a master’s degree in social work before taking a job at the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Sarah grew up with distant siblings and an absent father. She lived with her mother until her passing, a couple of years before Lauren’s death.

Sarah’s jealousy of Lauren causes tension that goes unaddressed in Lauren’s lifetime. As a teen, Sarah envied Lauren’s family and college acceptance on the Hill—where she and Lauren had planned to go together until she was rejected—and her envy extends to Lauren’s professional success and relationship with Josh. Lauren’s IPF diagnosis causes a “maturing” in Sarah and brings them closer again, but her jealousy causes friction with Josh after Lauren’s death. After Lauren’s death, the novel suggests that Sarah will become Josh’s new love; this is Lauren’s hope, and it is somewhat reinforced by the medium. Their date proves that they have no chemistry and brings closure to that possibility, allowing Josh to move on. Sarah is not a dynamic character, but she is a foil for Lauren and fulfills a necessary role as Lauren’s messenger.

Radley is a secondary character who becomes Josh’s close friend. Radley is a salesperson at Banana Republic who helps Josh with his tasks, such as picking out a new wardrobe, per Lauren’s request, and shopping for a new house. He is from Maine, has two sisters, and came out as gay to unsupportive parents. He is in school part-time to become a licensed therapist when he meets Josh, and by the novel’s end, he moves in with Josh as his roommate and becomes a therapist full-time. Radley supports Josh through his grief journey by being a compassionate friend and listener and helping Josh feel secure enough to make new social connections.

Jen is Lauren’s beloved older sister. She is married to Darius and is the mother of Sebastian and Octavia. In contrast to Sarah’s contentious relationship with Lauren, Jen’s relationship with Lauren is characterized by pure love and unconditional support. Jen doesn’t conceal her grief after Lauren’s death, crying with Lauren before her death over the realization that Lauren will not have children or accomplish her other goals. She also cries with Josh after Lauren’s death, helping him show his vulnerability in front of others. Over time, Jen grows closer with Josh, and her family helps Josh heal; Jen happily accepts Josh’s request to be his “sister” rather than sister-in-law in Chapter 28, demonstrating the power of familial love.

Ben is a secondary character who acts as Josh’s second father. He and his wife, Sumi, are best friends with Stephanie, Josh’s mother, and live next door. Josh leans on Ben, a Korean Buddhist and archetypal sage, for his intuition and support; Ben always knows how to best help Josh when his anger builds or his grief intensifies, and, accordingly, Ben often lends a sympathetic ear, companionable silence, or a comforting touch; on one occasion, he offers him a box of tools and wire to distract and recenter Josh. Ben is a foil for Josh’s absent father, Christopher, who abandoned Stephanie when she was pregnant with Josh. At the end of the novel, Josh refers to Ben as “dad,” signaling that Josh feels loved by a father figure despite his abandonment.

Donna is Lauren’s mother, a former teacher, and a widow. Throughout Lauren’s illness, she centers her own feelings and pain rather than helping Lauren. Though she doesn't have the closest relationship with Lauren, who didn’t “have the time to beg her mom to…mother” (50), she mourns her daughter throughout the novel, finding comfort in her new boyfriend. In time, she learns to comfort others, as when she supports Josh on Lauren’s birthday.

Dave is Lauren’s father, who passed away from an aneurysm when she was in college. He is described in Lauren’s letters and flashbacks, where he is portrayed as “funny, corny, indulgent enough, strict enough” and just about perfect in Lauren’s eyes (392). Like Ben, he is a strong father archetype. His presence supports Lauren through her illness though he is no longer living; Lauren’s letters to her father propel her timeline backward, allowing her to reflect on her life and provide exposition about her life before IPF and marrying Josh.