The grandmother is the main protagonist, and the story is told from her third-person limited point of view. She is old enough to remember the antebellum South and is nostalgic for these earlier days. Her upbringing among plantations has resulted in her racist, classist outlook. She also has an old-fashioned sense of propriety, as seen in her decision to dress in her Sunday best with a hat for a family car trip.

She believes that the division between good people and bad people is distinct and is also related to one’s blood or heritage. She believes that she is a good person and “a lady” despite the fact that she lies and attempts to manipulate her family throughout the story to get her way. It is her wish to go see the old plantation house—and convincing the children to insist on the detour—that takes the family on the dirt road. Her choice to bring her cat and then her accidentally upsetting its basket causes the car crash that leaves the family in trouble. She is also the only one who recognizes The Misfit, which likely leads to the family’s murders. 

The grandmother’s status as “good” and as a “lady” comes into question when she confronts The Misfit.