While the novel was not intended for young adult readers, it relates to their lives and can provide insight into their problems. The protagonist, Lucille Odom, is a well-adjusted, intelligent high school senior who has thought about the greenhouse effect, the psychology of shopping, the relationship between Charleston’s past and that of the ancient town of Herculaneum, how Charleston’s new developments have laid waste the tranquil countryside around her, and the troubled history of white and black people in the United States. Nevertheless, Lucille believes that she is not “ready” to deal with the world. She is, she finds, too threatened by change and unable to accept its inevitability.

Whereas in the past she has discouraged her mother from remodeling the house or throwing away bric-a-brac stored in family cupboards, Lucille learns to become more flexible, adventurous, and open to change in the course of the novel. Her mother’s new life, Rhody Poole’s advice, and her sister Rae’s changing roles all help Lucille reformulate her concept of adult femininity. There is no secure past, no traditional role, that guarantees human happiness; identity must be sought from within. Lucille is ready for change, ready to meet life’s challenges. She is eager to help the next generation of women (through her niece, Phoebe) develop an inner strength and meet life’s trials.

Because of her mother’s sudden departure from home, Lucille has learned that life is not arranged in neat packages; appearances can be deceptive. She finds that traditional roles do not sustain everyone, that families must be adaptable and their love inclusive, that an outmoded past cannot sustain the future, and that self-knowledge and self-fulfillment are essential for all members of a successful family or community. At the outset of the novel, Lucille believes that she could not live anywhere but in her special, seaside, rambling house, in the old-fashioned town of Mount Pleasant, surrounded by an accumulation of everyday objects and comforted by the familiar presence of her parents. By the end of the work, she has learned not only to live without these “essentials” but also to see them as limiting her adult growth. Now that the old homestead has been sold and her family lives in three separate houses, she finds that she does not miss the old house and does not need Mount Pleasant any longer. She has gained confidence in herself, recognizing that her strength comes from within. She is ready to go off on her own to a new life in college.

Lucille’s newfound love of self has also enriched her love for others. As her family has multiplied, Lucille’s love has grown to include each new addition: first Billy, then Vera, and now Phoebe. She has discovered through the events of recent months that there is no one way, no clear path, and no set answers in life (or houses or families). She has so much to give, so much to look forward to, and so much to accomplish. Uncertain of the future, of what she will do—whether she will marry or live alone—Lucille nevertheless feels strong and unafraid. She is ready for the challenge of the future.