Jane Cahill is a particularly fine literary creation. She begins the novel with a low opinion of herself and through hard work and the help of new friends makes herself into a tough but likable person. She believes herself to be homely and unattractive to boys; emotionally she is unsure of herself and is frightened by the implications of her past. When gazing into her parents' bedroom she sees "her father lying faceup, a startled expression frozen onto his features by death. He wore a gray one-piece suit of long underwear, and in the middle of his chest a stain of red was slowly spreading. His fingers were outstretched, as though reaching for the throat of his wife." This is a frightful hallucination but Jane faces it down with what will become typical determination. "Is he going to drive me out of here? I...