All the members of the Ringer and Pegler families play major roles in development of the themes of the story.

The major characters are supported by several other characters whose roles are less critical but who are, nevertheless, essential to the mood and progress of the story. The most vivid and clearly drawn characters are Opal Ringer and Jesse Pegler whose different perspectives are shown in their joint narration of the story.

Opal Ringer, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the Fundamentalist preacher, Royal Ringer, alternates narration of What I Really Think of You with Jesse Pegler, sixteen-year-old son of Dr. Guy Pegler, TV evangelist. Opal, candid and perceptive, recognizes the differences in the lifestyles between those who "have" as represented by the Peglers and those who "have not" as represented by the Ringers. To an extent she accepts the type of lifestyle resultant from being...