Siddalee Walker

The main character, Siddalee Walker ages from a school girl to a 38-year-old woman in the story. As a child Siddalee is studious and serious, with beautiful waist-length red hair. Sidda accepts her mother's abuse as just another fact of life, unpleasant but no more remarkable than her mother's affinity for bourbon with branch water.

Still, Sidda is deeply affected by the constant fights and psychological drama of the Walker household. This stress is the cause of her asthma. Sidda tries desperately to live up to her mother's expectations, and despite Sidda's intelligence, she always fails. This is partly because Vivi Walker has exaggerated her own exploits until they became legends, and expects her daughter to surpass them. Sidda also unconsciously buys into Vivi Wlaker's competitiveness with her, trying to outdo her mother.

Although Vivi Walker accuses her daughter of being defiant and melodramatic, neither is true...