Jo is a reckless, athletic girl who prefers pants and baseball to traditional domestic expectations. She feels at odds with her mother's strict standards for femininity and gravitates toward her father's accepting nature. She protests segregation and fights for equality in her community. As she matures, she develops deep affections for other girls, hiding her true desires to avoid familial judgment.

Bethie is the younger Kaufman sister who embraces traditional feminine ideals. She loves cooking, styling her hair in curlers, and performing in local theatrical productions. Eager for approval, she strives to be the perfect daughter and relishes the praise she receives for her beauty and proper etiquette.

Sarah is the strict matriarch of the Kaufman family. She values financial security and Jewish traditions, insisting her daughters conform to societal expectations. She pushes her children toward proper manners and conventional roles, causing significant friction with her older daughter.

Ken is a tenderhearted father who works hard to provide his family with a home in a comfortable neighborhood. He openly praises his daughters and supports their individual interests, acting as a gentle buffer against his wife's strict expectations. He shares a special bond with his older daughter over their mutual love of baseball.

Mel is a wealthy optometrist and the younger brother of Ken Kaufman. He presents himself as a supportive relative willing to offer financial help through domestic employment. Beneath this helpful facade, he exhibits predatory behavior and targets vulnerable young women in his own family.

Kim is the eldest daughter of the next generation, characterized by her energetic and solemn nature. She demonstrates an early aptitude for science and academics, contrasting with her siblings' different interests.

Melissa, known as Missy, is the middle daughter who displays a wild and sporty personality. She inherits an athletic drive that mirrors her mother's childhood energy and physically active nature.

Lila is the youngest of three sisters, possessing a temperamental personality. She struggles to find her place alongside her high-achieving older siblings, leading to a sullen and brooding attitude as she matures.

Lynnette is a feminine teenager who enjoys skipping school and taking risks. She maintains a relationship with a football star while engaging in secretive, intimate moments with her best friend. She views these private interactions as temporary experiments rather than a threat to her conventional social standing.

Shelley is a wealthy, educated student who engages deeply in equal rights demonstrations. She challenges discriminatory practices and forms a profound emotional connection with fellow activists over civil rights issues. Her affluent background provides her with numerous opportunities for global travel.

Dave is a tall, charming man who uses his talkative nature and humor to win people over. He projects an aura of safety and protection, making plans easily and offering a conventional, stable alternative for someone tired of fighting societal prejudice.

Harold is a handsome Black student with a talent for singing and an interest in drama. He participates in school theatrical productions despite struggling with stage fright. He forms an early, quiet connection with his co-star during rehearsals.

Devon is a college student who grows and creates illicit substances. He embraces the counterculture movement of the 1960s, providing experimental drugs to partygoers and drawing romantic interest from younger students who attend his gatherings.

Bubbe is a Russian American immigrant who speaks Yiddish and maintains strict religious traditions. She dotes on her grandchildren with candy and teaches them how to make homemade challah.

Zayde is the patriarch of his extended family, having immigrated from Russia. He speaks primarily Yiddish and passes down Jewish heritage to his eager grandchildren through weekly gatherings.

Mae is a kind Black woman hired to help clean the Kaufman family home once a week. She brings her young daughter along to work, creating an opportunity for a cross-cultural childhood friendship that broadens the children's worldview.

Frieda is an energetic young girl who accompanies her mother to work at the Kaufman residence. She enjoys roughhousing, climbing trees, and playing battle games, making her an ideal companion for the equally active Jo.

Iris is a taciturn Jewish woman hired to clean the Kaufman household. Her employment represents the family matriarch's desire to support their own cultural community over maintaining previous household relationships.

Shirley is married to Ken's wealthy younger brother. She manages a busy household and assigns chores such as sorting toys and culling old linens to the young family members she employs.

Bobby is a local football star who represents the traditional masculine ideal in the 1960s high school hierarchy. He worries about his girlfriend's close friendships and pressures her for physical intimacy.