Jane

The novel's heroine, Jane begins as an eight-year-old girl in Part 1. In this section, she is self-confident, happy, and calm, despite her turbulent family situation: this is due to the positive influence of Michael, who calms her in tough situations and boosts her self-esteem. At her lowest point, at the end of the disastrous birthday party, only he can help her. Unfortunately, this is also the point at which he must leave her. Jane is unusual in that most children forget their imaginary friends, but she does not. However, twenty-three years later, now in her early thirties (in Part 2), Jane's sweetness and passivity have caused her to become trapped in childhood patterns. Her mother walks all over her and is even her professional boss, while Jane is dating an actor who takes advantage of her. Her only individual accomplishment is the play she wrote about Michael, "Thank Heaven...