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Grace is a woman on the cusp of adulthood, guided by others' expectations despite having a strong, independent nature. She wears feminine outfits in an approximation of the look society has taught her she should emulate, but she asserts her uniqueness and independence by simultaneously appearing a bit ragged around the edges. This contradiction of acceptable behavior versus behavior that is true to her individuality repeats throughout the story, such as when she agrees to go on a date with Maury though she isn’t sure if she really agreed to the date or was trying to placate him. Significantly, it's not Maury she falls in love with, but his mother, who represents what she wants to be. She is drawn to Mrs. Travers’ independent and bright nature, and she ignores shortcomings in her relationship with Maury to spend more time with her. Grace's initial attraction to Neil also represents her internal struggle to define herself. In contrast with Maury who is the socially acceptable choice for a husband, Neil is an older, married alcoholic and the only possible path with him is an adulterous and sexual one. Neil is tragic, messy, and complicated, which Grace can relate to. Grace’s final decision to walk away from the Travers family entirely in the wake of Neil’s death represents her choice to honor who she truly is.   

Throughout the story, Grace defines her life whimsically, mainly through fiction and internalized societal expectations, and it is not until the drive with Neil that she begins to accept agency for her life and decisions. Almost every time she thinks of her future, she doesn’t imagine any of the paths before her to be real. The chair caning business and marriage to Maury are as fictional to her as the books she reads in the Traverses’ house. Likewise, the clearest expression of her internal, emotional world to another character is when she watches a movie with Maury, and she’s able to compare herself to a fictional character. Grace understands what it is to be a woman, a girlfriend, a wife, and even a mother in a societal context, but she struggles with applying these ideas to the person she actually is. Instead, she simply allows things to happen around her without committing too strongly to anything. Grace is clearly intelligent, but her youth and her limited opportunities due to poverty make her ignorant of the darker underbelly within the Travers family. It isn’t until Grace learns Mrs. Travers’ first husband died by suicide and sees the effect on Mrs. Travers’ mental health and Neil’s alcoholism that the fantasy of their perfect life is broken and Grace understands she must take the reins to her own life.

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