Maddie is the teenage protagonist and first-person narrator of Alone; at the beginning of the novel, she is 12, but by the end, she is 15. From the beginning, Maddie is somewhat mature for her age, as she babysits and takes care of her three younger brothers, one of whom is a baby. She also migrates from her mother’s house to her father’s house each week, so she’s used to multiple places as well as a constantly shifting cast of characters living with her. However, Maddie comes of age much more when she is left to survive alone for three years.

Maddie’s survival proves that she is even more independent than she previously thought, but paradoxically, what gives her the strength to carry on is her memories of family and friends who are no longer physically present, as well as the hope that these same people will one day return. Maddie uses her own resourcefulness, intelligence, and creativity to ensure her own survival, but she also draws on knowledge and advice she learned from friends and family, in addition to using their literal, physical belongings such as cars, houses, food, clothing, and tools.