Lilia is a ten-year-old girl growing up as a second-generation Indian American. Living a sheltered life, she learns a sanitized version of American history at school while remaining largely insulated from the political realities of her parents' homeland. Her perspective shifts as she begins to understand the broader world through the anxieties of her family's houseguest.

Mr. Pirzada is an intelligent botanist from Dacca, East Pakistan, studying New England foliage on a university grant. Separated from his wife and seven daughters due to the outbreak of the Bangladesh Liberation War, he spends his evenings seeking comfort and news updates with Lilia's family. He maintains a polite, composed exterior despite intense anxiety regarding his family's safety.

Lilia's parents are first-generation immigrants from India who maintain a strong connection to their cultural roots. Her father, a university professor, worries about Lilia's lack of global historical knowledge. Her mother works part-time at a bank and views her daughter's sheltered American education as a triumph of their immigration journey. They jointly manage the challenges of assimilation while mourning the unrest in their home region.

Dora is a white American schoolgirl and Lilia's friend. She fits seamlessly into her environment and follows her school's curriculum without question, remaining completely unaware of the global conflicts that dominate the atmosphere in Lilia's home. Her household provides a clear contrast to the anxiety-filled environment Lilia experiences daily.