Rayona is the product of generations of struggle and misunderstanding. The mixed-blood daughter of Christine and Elgin. Rayona is unusually tall and thin, and is very self-conscious about her physical appearance. A very intelligent girl, Rayona is also remarkably observant, though sometimes her ignorance of the world leaves her at a disadvantage. She loves her parents, but is repeatedly disappointed by them, and as such often feels unloved and unwanted. She dreams about having a …showed first 75 words of 455 total…

…showed last 75 words of 455 total…is literally the future of her family. When Ida begins her story, she explains that she may one day tell it to Rayona, "Who might understand. (Pg. 297) " Rayona is thus the one character in the story that may have the opportunity both to understand her past and confidently take control of her future. If any character in the novel might finally break from the bonds of secrecy, shame, guilt, and misunderstanding, it will be Rayona.