How were the characters in the story portrayed?

[Gerry Steen]

I found that some characters were portrayed as racist while others were getting along well no matter the race. Gun ownership was very important to characters who did not feel safe. Some people blamed outsiders for stealing their jobs while others saw outsiders as an asset. Southern hospitality and Christian values were prevalent. Many were plagued with obesity and diabetes.

[FelinaAlpuertoPittman2859+]

The characters were portrayed realistically for the most part. Eastern North Carolina is in the bible belt, and so some of the Southern-based characters would exhibit a religious type of behavior (e.g., Frank praying, invoking God in front of Dr. Johal). Lily-Jean Lamont showed the typical Southern friendly gesture and generous reception towards guests or strangers. Southerners in general also tend to value gun-ownership/marksmanship and so Tanisha bringing up the idea of shooting lessons to Dr. Johal was not surprising.