True Colors: A Novel

Winona is one of the novel’s point-of-view characters and its principal protagonist. Despite being an intelligent and successful lawyer, Winona struggles with numerous insecurities that stem from and affect her relationships with her family members, especially her father and Vivi Ann. She is the oldest daughter and so feels responsible for taking care of her sisters, especially after their mother’s death. However, Henry dismisses her because she doesn’t have the equestrian talent required to run the ranch. Winona’s need for her father’s approval is intensified by her comparison of herself to Vivi Ann, who is their father’s favorite and whom Winona resents. Winona also envies Vivi Ann’s beauty, especially when Vivi Ann manages to earn the affection of the man Winona has always loved. Winona is jealous of and bitter toward Vivi Ann for a long time, and this dynamic drives much of the novel’s plot while exemplifying The Effect of Insecurities on Personal Relationships.

Just as Winona’s insecurities influence how events play out in the first half of the story, her character growth drives action in the second. The older Winona is more accepting of herself. While she has been unsuccessful in love, she has received rewards elsewhere, particularly in her career.