Ruth's description of herself as a "small" woman captures the essence of her character. "Stunned into silence" by her psychologically abusive husband, Ruth's growth has been stunted, like that of her "half-grown" daughters and the dying maple tree in the side yard.
A complicated woman who seems to "know a lot and understand very little," Ruth clings to the memory of her dead father, Dr. Foster, whom she perceives as the only one who ever really cared about her well-being. Consequently, she fails to see the similarities between Macon and Dr. Foster. Both are despised by the community but granted a grudging respect for having obtained a measure of status and prosperity. Both are contemptuous of lower-class blacks and oblivious to the fact that their ability to sustain their affluent lifestyles depends on the support of the black community. And both have found a way to escape the painful realities of their spiritually dead lives while maintaining their facades as prosperous community leaders.
In many ways, the frail, vulnerable Ruth is the direct opposite of the strong, independent Pilate. Pilate is depicted as a tall, black cedar tree blessed with the power of an elephant and the wisdom of an owl; Ruth, with her "lemon yellow" skin, is a fragile flower and a doll-like creature who seems to have no mind of her own. Pilate has overcome her "dry birth" and created a meaningful life for herself; Ruth relies on others to create her reality and validate her existence. Pilate revels in the beauty of nature; Ruth sees nature as an ominous force that threatens to intrude on her carefully crafted environment. And finally, Pilate's house is a "safe harbor" for her extended family; Ruth's house is "more prison than palace."
