The characters in the book may be grouped into those who are ordinary and not "saved," and those who belong to the Stafford Hill Baptist Church community. At first, Roxie's family is part of the former group. There is Francis, Roxie's father, a businessman from Syracuse, New York who is easygoing, not very strict with his two daughters, and not particularly interested in religious or community matters. Marian, his wife, is somewhat bored and lost at home, now that one of her daughters has gone to college and the other one is in high school. She is looking for a purpose, and welcomes it when her neighbor, Mrs. Preger, invites her to participate in church functions and charities. And there is the main character, Roxie, a normal teenager who likes rock music, dances, and has friends from school. She is a good student and...