Del’s mother, Ada, is depicted as reserved, yet opinionated, especially at the beginning of the text. Del describes her mother as having disdain for being poor and taking great pride in how she appears to other people. Prioritizing “good grammar” and disliking behaviors such as drunkenness and promiscuity, Ada is motivated by her pursuit of a higher social status and a place to belong. In the first story, Del indicates, “My mother corrected me when I said we lived on the Flats Road; she said we lived at the end of the Flats Road, as if that made all the difference. Later on she was to find she did not belong in Jubilee either […]” (10). Early on in the book, Ada’s character is depicted as contemptuous of her station in life and serves as a foil to Del, who is still grasping what that station even is.

However, as the stories progress, Ada and Del have more in common than even Del recognizes, particularly their rebelliousness and unwillingness to accept societal norms. For example, Ada actively partakes in academic and intellectual pursuits as well as establishing her career to pursue the life she desires. Her interests in death, science, and literature and her disdain for religion align with Del’s interests. As Del grows up, her mother models the ways curiosity and intrigue can propel people to learn more about the world around them. Ada’s backstory also provides context to her character; for instance, her willingness to forgive her brother for abusing her indicates that she values moving forward. Ada does not dwell on the past, instead actively looking for ways to avoid reflecting on or reconciling with it. She tends to search for what lies ahead of her and is an active, determined participant in her own life as she works toward her goal of leaving the Flats Road behind.

Although Naomi and Del remain friends for several years, they serve as foils to each other due to their opposing views on how to live. Naomi adheres to the stereotypical gender roles that are socially expected of young women their age, and Del’s narration implies this is heavily influenced by Naomi’s upbringing. For example, Del initially characterizes Naomi as being complacent when they are at the library: “It was the opposite with Naomi; so many books weighed on her, making her feel oppressed and suspicious. This was the normal thing in Jubilee” (131). Rather than reading, Naomi spends her time preparing for marriage and adulthood, because she finds these matters practical and in alignment with what she wants out of life. Despite their differences, Naomi—who undergoes her own coming-of-age process—and Del depend on each other to understand the world around them as they develop physically and emotionally. They compare knowledge of sex and what it means to have a crush on a boy. Naomi functions as a tool for Del to explore different ways of approaching womanhood.

Naomi’s decision to take a job after school while preparing herself for marriage and motherhood allows her to feel secure and comfortable, contrasting greatly with Del’s views. When Naomi takes the job at the creamery, Del expects Naomi to have the same demeanor as she did in school. However, the image of Naomi with “coral” nails and “wearing a pink and green plaid skirt and pink sweater” indicates that Naomi has embraced her new role (196). This creates tension between the girls while also illustrating how they diverge in their perspectives. Naomi also serves as an example to Del that there are a variety of ways to approach life. When they reconnect at the end of “Baptizing,” Naomi helps Del overcome her judgments about Naomi’s life choices as they find common ground in their found womanhood.