Lois is an elderly woman who spends her days in a condominium overlooking Lake Ontario, surrounded by "Group of Seven" nature paintings. In her youth, she was a cautious, plain girl who spent her summers at Camp Manitou in northern Ontario. She struggles with the transition from her adventurous childhood to the restrictive expectations of adult womanhood.

Lucy is a wealthy, blonde American girl whose mother originally attended Camp Manitou. Unlike Lois, Lucy possesses an effortless indifference to the camp's traditions and activities. As she approaches adolescence, she becomes increasingly disillusioned with her family life in Chicago and the restrictive feminine roles expected of her.

Cappie is the middle-aged head of Camp Manitou, an institution established by her parents. She has fawn-colored hair cut like a bowl and projects an anxious need to ensure the campers experience joy. Her entire identity and livelihood are wrapped up in the success and smooth operation of the summer camp.

Kip is a counselor at Camp Manitou tasked with supervising the campers' wilderness excursions. Taking the responsibilities of the job seriously, Kip maintains a no-nonsense attitude and actively disciplines the campers when they act out during their trips.

Pat is a counselor at Camp Manitou who assists in guiding the girls through their week-long canoe trip on the river. Compared to the strict demeanor of Kip, Pat is more lenient and generally easier for the young campers to fool or bypass.

Rob is Lois's deceased husband, with whom she established a conventional domestic life in Toronto. He did not share Lois's intense fascination with wilderness paintings, representing the safe, predictable adulthood she settled into.

"The boys" are the two sons born to Lois and Rob. They represent the fulfillment of the traditional domestic role Lois adopts as a wife and mother, though her memories of raising them feel faint and distant to her present reality.