Maggie and Dee have unique personalities. When Maggie is first introduced in the story, she is nervous about her sister's visit. In fact, Dee's arrival makes Maggie so uncomfortable that she tries to flee to the safety of the house. Maggie is also intimidated by Dee, as shown when Maggie is unable to confront Dee about the quilts. Maggie gives in and says that Dee may have the quilts because she is not used to "…showed first 75 words of 553 total…

…showed last 75 words of 553 total…They live with prejudice without forcing change. The oldest daughter, Dee, is in the process of breaking free from old, impoverished ways and prejudice. The mother and Maggie are examples of down-home living, while Dee is an example of breaking from one's roots and denouncing prejudice. As each person is characterized, the reader is able to see what the different characters represent, which, in turn, enables the reader to understand the theme of the story