What kind of woman is Lavinia?

This question is from the story Virtually True, where family dynamics create both humour and tension around John's secret virtual-reality experiment.

Concept

• Lavinia is portrayed as a modern, fashion-conscious woman who enthusiastically takes up passing fads, such as Ouija boards and fortune-telling.
• She is suspicious of her husband John's odd, secretive behaviour, and her dominant, assertive nature drives much of the story's conflict.

Common mistakes

• Students sometimes describe Lavinia only as 'superstitious' — a full answer must also cover her dominant/assertive personality, not just her interest in fads.
• Do not confuse Lavinia's suspicion of John with actual proof of ghosts — she never fully understands his secret work.

Real-world

• Lavinia represents how curiosity about the unexplained (astrology, Ouija, tarot) can coexist with skepticism about a spouse's unusual private pursuits — a familiar household tension.