With her uncontrollable frizzy hair, “coppery red” (6) skin, and light, round eyes, January is somewhat of a riddle to those she meets. Neither classified as white nor black, January lies somewhere between the two. As a young girl, she resolves to tame her wild and adventurous spirit in order to earn the approval and love of Mr. Locke, her caretaker: She feels abandoned by her father, but still craves a father figure in her life. Under the wealthy and watchful care of Locke and the nursemaid Wilda, January lives a pampered but somewhat boring life. She finds her greatest pleasure in reading, and develops a friendship with the neighbor, Samuel Zappia, over their mutual love for stories.

As she grows up, January continues to suppress her restless spirit, trading it in for one of obedience and politeness to win Locke’s love. However, over the course of the novel, the more she discovers about Doors and her parents’ past, the more her brave and adventurous spirit returns. Her realization that she has friends and parents who love her propels her out from under Locke’s control and into the person she was born to be. By the end of the novel, she confidently sails away on her own to fulfill her purpose as a word-worker and Door-opener.