Seventeen-year-old Maggie is a practical and resourceful young Black woman living in Lexington, Alabama, during the Jim Crow era. Seeking to escape the stigma of her parents' reputations and her own traumatic past, she enters into a marriage of convenience with her friend Hubert. She is fiercely devoted to her family and highly values the community respectability her new marriage affords her.

Hubert is a twenty-year-old preacher's son and a respected member of the Lexington community. As a closeted gay man, he enters an asexual marriage with Maggie to maintain appearances and protect himself from the severe prejudice of their society. He is a considerate, generous partner who genuinely desires a family and cares deeply for Maggie.

Claude is Maggie's deeply beloved son, growing from an active, bright child into a handsome and independent young man. As he matures and begins working at the local sawmill, his desire for independence sometimes conflicts with his mother's intense protectiveness, particularly regarding his romantic choices.

Jessie is a popular young woman who lives a few blocks from Maggie and becomes one of her closest confidantes. She loves to share neighborhood gossip but struggles privately with a difficult domestic life, dealing with her husband's cruelty while fiercely protecting her son.

Mrs. Dowler is a wealthy, independent eighty-seven-year-old white widow who employs Maggie. Unlike many others in their segregated society, she treats Maggie with respect and equality, often acting as a mentor, confidante, and generous benefactor.

Jasper is Maggie's father, a man whose struggles with alcohol use have caused his family to be held in low esteem in Lexington. Despite his faults and intermittent employment, he cares about his daughter's reputation.

Jeannette is Maggie's mother, who previously engaged in sex work to survive financially but now makes a living by taking in ironing. She is proud of her daughter's upward mobility and urges Maggie to prioritize Hubert's happiness.

Hubert's father, often referred to as Pa Wiggins, is a highly respected religious leader and community figure in Lexington. He provides his son's family with a strong foundation of social respectability.

Hubert's mother, often called Ma Wiggins, is a talented and in-demand hairdresser. She dotes heavily on her son and welcomes Maggie into their upstanding family, taking an active role in her life.

Daisy is a thirty-two-year-old unmarried mother of four who takes a romantic interest in the much younger Claude. She has a reputation for manipulating her partners for financial gain, making her an immediate source of dread for Maggie.

Oswald is Fern Dowler's younger brother, who arrives at her home in a state of personal turmoil. He holds deeply prejudiced views and quickly becomes a threatening, predatory presence in Maggie's workplace.

Jessie's husband is a deeply selfish and abusive man who frequently uses his heart condition to manipulate his family. He openly disrespects his wife and shows no affection for his son.

Randolph is a kind, attentive man who teaches Sunday school and helps neighborhood children. He treats Maggie with unexpected gentleness, unaware of her specific motivations for spending time with him.

Mason is an older neighbor of Maggie and Hubert who develops a reputation for being aggressively erratic. His behavior becomes increasingly dangerous following a profound family tragedy involving his eldest son.

Mrs. Burris is a sweet, patient woman who lives near Maggie and Hubert. She struggles to manage her husband's increasingly violent behavior following the traumatic loss of their eldest son.

Earl is Jessie and Orville's son. He requires additional care due to his intellectual disabilities, drawing fierce protection from his mother and cruel dismissal from his father.

Sister Compton is Daisy's mother, a highly respected woman in the community. She attends church regularly, works hard to support her family, and abstains from the vices her daughter embraces.

Hubert's uncle is a successful businessman who operates one of the two Black funeral homes in the city. Having lost his own wife and child, he plans to pass his business along to his nephew.

Mr. Royster is a friend of Maggie's father who weaponized his standing in the church to hide his history of sexually abusing Maggie when she was a child, threatening her into silence.

Maybelle is a young, single woman from a family of teachers and churchgoers. She provides Claude with a steady, affectionate relationship that meets with his parents' approval.