Mary Ann Singleton

Of the many central characters in this book's complicated narrative, Mary Ann is perhaps the central character. On a purely technical level, this idea is supported by the fact that the narrative begins and ends with her, focuses on her at greater length, and returns to her more often than any other character. On another level, the idea is supported by the fact that Mary Ann undergoes a journey of transformation greater than that of any of the other characters, except perhaps DeDe (see below). Also, the steps along that journey of transformation are both more numerous and more dramatic than the other characters.

The nature of that journey is essentially that of every central character in literature - from inexperience to knowledge, from ignorance to awareness, from innocence to worldliness. It's important to note, however, that right from the beginning when she tells her worried...