Character List
Lily Melissa Owens -
The novel's protagonist and narrator. Lily is a fourteen-year-old
white girl born on the Fourth of July in
1950.
When she was four, she accidentally killed her mother, Deborah.
Along with her abusive father, T. Ray, whom she cannot call “Daddy,”
she lives on a peach farm in rural South Carolina. Isolated and insecure,
Lily fears that she lacks all femininity and imagines that her mother
is her guardian angel, watching over and loving her from beyond.
Lily loves and trusts Rosaleen, a black housekeeper who helped raise
her, and she finds the racism so prevalent in the south confusing.
Over the course of the novel, she grows into a loved and loving
young woman, who sees beyond skin color.
Lily's most prized possessions are a few things of her mother's
she found in her father's attic: a picture of Deborah, a wooden
picture of a black Mary, and a pair of white gloves. She loves to
write and hopes to one day become a writer. Late in the novel, she
finds a close friend and stand-in mother in August Boatwright and her
sisters, June and May. In addition, her femininity blooms when she
realizes her attraction to Zach, a young black man who helps out
on the Boatwright farm. Lily also finds herself enchanted by bees,
first by those living inside the walls of her room and later by those
on August's farm.
August Boatwright -
A middle-aged black woman who welcomes Lily into
her home. August lives in a pink house in Tiburon, South Carolina,
with her two sisters, May and June. Together, May, June, and August
are known as “the calendar sisters.” August has chosen not to marry
because she does not want to give up the autonomy of her independent
womanhood. August works as a beekeeper and honey/beeswax manufacturer
on a
28-acre farm she inherited from her grandfather.
By selling honey, she supports herself and sisters, as well as Lily
and Rosaleen, once they come to stay at her house. August is a warm
and loving lady, skinnier than Rosaleen but still larger-than-life
to Lily. As a young woman, August attended school and worked as
a teacher, then she became a housekeeper in the home of Deborah,
Lily's mother, when Deborah was a child. August created an alternate
religion for herself and her friends based around a statue of a
black Mary that has been passed through generations of her family.
She teaches Lily about this religion and spirituality in general,
as well as about beekeeping and love.
Rosaleen Daise - Lily's
nanny and first friend. Rosaleen is a black woman who originally
worked as a peach picker in the fields belonging to Lily's father.
Six months after Lily's mother died, T. Ray took Rosaleen out of
the fields and assigned her to taking care of Lily. She is a very
large woman who often burps and speaks her mind clearly, openly,
and without self-censorship. Proud and determined, Rosaleen quickly
stands up for herself, even in the face of violent, racist men.
She loves Lily, helping to mediate between Lily and her abusive
father, and she goes along somewhat reluctantly with Lily's plans
out of a combination of love and pity for the young girl. Later,
she becomes close friends with May Boatwright and easily becomes
part of the Daughters of Mary religious community in Tiburon. Rosaleen
did have a husband at one point, although she found him to be stupid.
Deborah Fontanel -
Lily's mother. Deborah was shot accidentally by four-year-old
Lily. At the time, she had already left Lily and T. Ray and gone
to stay with her old housekeeper, August Boatwright, in Tiburon.
Deborah was an attractive and lively woman who became depressed living
in Sylvan and had trouble acting as a responsible mother.
Zachary Taylor - Lily's
best friend and romantic interest. Zach is a junior at the black
high school in Tiburon and plays football for the school team. He
is handsome and has one dimple when he smiles. He is ambitious and
hopes to be a lawyer someday, although he has never heard of a black
lawyer. Sensitive Zach forms an attachment to Lily, giving her gifts
and positive attention. He works on the Boatwrights' farm to earn
money for college, to buy a car, and to be self-reliant.
Terrence Ray (T. Ray) Owens -
Lily's father. A peach farmer, T. Ray was once passionately
in love with Lily's mother, to whom he was married. After his wife
left him and later died, he became a bitter and resentful man. He
abuses and punishes Lily by making her kneel on dried grits, making
fun of her attempts to better herself through reading, and refusing
to offer her any signs of love. T. Ray takes out his general resentment
and bitterness on Lily, the product of his lost love.
June Boatwright -
Sister of August and May and part owner of the Boatwright
farm. June finds it difficult to like Lily at first because she
resents August's involvement in the white world as a housekeeper
for Lily's mother. In her spare time, June volunteers as a cellist
for the local hospital, where her music soothes dying patients.
She is involved in a love affair with Neil, to whom she refuses to
get married. Stubborn and strong-headed, June eventually shows herself
to be kind and caring as well.
May Boatwright - Sister
of August and June and a friend and roommate to Rosaleen. May once
had a twin sister, April, who was depressed and committed suicide
at a young age. Since that time, May has become extremely sensitive
and prone to depression. When sad, May sings the song “Oh! Susanna”
and removes herself to spend time alone by a special wall she has
constructed outside the house—her own “wailing wall.” A very warm
person, May spends most of her time taking care of the Boatwright
house by cooking and cleaning for the other ladies. She eventually
kills herself in the river.
Neil - A very
tall man who courts June Boatwright. Neil helps around the farm
but lives elsewhere. He is kind to Lily and one of the few grown
men in the novel that is gentle and honest.
The Daughters of Mary -
A group of African Americans who have created their
own religion, based around the Boatwright statue of the black Mary.
Although most group members are women, there are some men who attend
the Daughters get-togethers and celebrations. Lily and Rosaleen
participate in this religion while staying at August's farm.
Queenie - One
of the Daughters of Mary. She dresses in bright colors and wears
large, ornate hats.
Violet - One
of the Daughters of Mary. Like her mother, Queenie, she dresses
in fancy clothes and wears a decorative hat.
Lunelle - One
of the Daughters of Mary. She is the hat maker and wears the most
outlandish hats of all. Lunelle makes a hat for Lily.
Cressie - One
of the Daughters of Mary. Her handicraft skill is crocheted octopuses.
Mabelee - One
of the Daughters of Mary.
Sugar-Girl - One
of the Daughters of Mary. She is married to Otis Hill and brings
him along to most of the Daughters of Mary events.
Otis Hill - The
wife of Sugar-Girl. A kind black man, Otis often attends the Daughters
of Mary get-togethers.
Clayton Forrest -
Zach's mentor and Tiburon's principal lawyer. A white
man with a successful practice, Clayton takes an interest in Zach
and encourages him to become a lawyer. His office is decorated with
pictures of him with his daughter. Clayton is also an old friend
of August's.
April Boatwright -
May's twin sister. She committed suicide in childhood
by shooting herself with a shotgun. Her childhood temperament was
very similar to May's adult temperament: overly sensitive and depressed.
Brother Gerald - The
minister of a church in Sylvan. Lily attended his church when she
was growing up. A pious man with racist tendencies, Brother Gerald
is also rather foolish, as Lily has no problem tricking him. He
is also self-righteous and petty.
Franklin Posey - The
ringleader of Rosaleen's attackers. Franklin is known in Sylvan
as one of the most violent and reactionary racists.
Avery Gatson - The
Sylvan cop that arrests Lily and Rosaleen. His friends call him
“Shoe.” He is passively racist.
Miss Lacy - Mr.
Forrest's secretary. Slightly racist, Miss Lacy finds the fact that
Lily lives with black women very disturbing.
Becca Forrest - The
daughter of Clayton, the lawyer. She is a year younger than Lily
and eventually becomes her friend in Tiburon.
Mrs. Gatson - The
jail keeper and wife of the cop Avery Gatson.
Rose Campbell - The
name Lily uses for her grandmother when she arrives in Tiburon.
Aunt Bernie - The
name Lily uses for her aunt when she arrives in Tiburon.
Frogman General Store clerk -
The clerk at Frogman General Store. He is a small,
gullible, pious man.
