Deborah Fontanel Owens and T. Ray are two characters in the book that are not as they seem. For example, Deborah is viewed differently at the end of the book than she is at the beginning. Through Lily’s narrative, Deborah is thought of as an ideal mother. Lily says Deborah cared for her and loved her. When T. Ray tells Lily that Deborah left because of her, she does not believe it and thinks that her mother would only leave him, not her. However, after August tells her the truth about Deborah, it is clear that she was not what Lily imagined her to be. Instead of being Lily’s ideal mother, Lily learns that her mother did leave her and that she was suffering from depression. In addition to Deborah, T. Ray is also a character who is not as he
