Amanda
Amanda is an advertising account director and Clay's husband. She is the mother to Archie, 15, and Rose, 13, and is an intelligent and doting woman who wants nothing more than to make her family happy. To that end, Amanda planned a trip up to Long Island, New York in a remote cabin for a family summer vacation.
Amanda is also a well-meaning, but an oblivious, person, which leads to the central conflict of the novel between her family and the Washingtons, who claim to own the cabin that they have rented for their vacation. But Amanda is oblivious of her own racism, which offends the aforementioned Washingtons and causes some consternation between the two.
Clay
Clay is a tenured professor and professional book critic; he is Amanda's husband. Like his wife Amanda, Clay is an intelligent and observant man who works as hard as he can for his family, whom he adores. Clay is also a resourceful man, but like his wife, is racist, which leads to the conflict between his family and the Washingtons.
Rose
One of the main characters of the novel, Rose is Amanda and Clay's thirteen-year-old daughter. She is a curious girl who loves to go exploring - especially in the woods surrounding the cabin. Despite her age, Rose is an intelligent and resourceful girl who is able to survive in the post-apocalyptic world detailed in the novel with relative ease.
George Washington
George Washington is a black man in his sixties who, along with his wife, claim to own the cabin that Clay and Amanda's family is staying in. The couple, who seem to be well-off and exceptionally hard-working, had called Clay and Amanda to let them know that they were coming, but all service was down and they were unable to do so.
George is a fundamentally good man but is perplexed by Clay and Amanda's racism and their unwillingness to allow George and his wife into the Cabin - their cabin. And despite the situation, they are forgiving, apologetic, and ultimately kind.
