The fictional town of Branchville is defined by its rigid social structure. While the history of slavery in the South has created barriers between white and Black communities, these are not the only divisions that exist. The three women who are the story’s central characters all live in different communities within their stratified society. To some extent, these distinctions are dictated by race and economics, but they are due to family heritage, class, and reputation.

Annie is the wife of a rich plantation owner and part of Branchville’s social elite. This group of people only associates with socially prominent or politically active peers. Other people in the community who are lower on the social scale are viewed as “the help.” Both white and Black citizens of Branchville may fall into this category.

Although Retta is linked to Annie as part of her domestic staff, she lives in the exclusively Black community of Shake Rag. Retta’s willingness to take Gertrude’s family into her home, however briefly, causes quite a stir in the neighborhood because of the potential danger it involves. Mrs. Walker, Retta’s friend, is only tolerated on the outskirts of Shake Rag because she is an outcast among the whites.