Claire is the protagonist of this novel. Here point-of-view encompasses the first two sections. She is pretty and youthful, with red-gold hair and gold-flecked eyes. In her old community, she is impregnated and has Gabe at only 14 years of age after being assigned as a Birthmother at 12. However, complications arise and she must undergo a C-section, presumably rendering her infertile. She is then reassigned to work at the Fish Hatchery, although due to some oversight, is never assigned the pills that mitigate her emotions. As such, she finds herself drawn to her child, despite not seeing him during his birth: “She wanted only to be with the child […] It was not right to have these feelings, which were growing stronger as the weeks passed. Not normal. Not permitted. She knew that. But she did not know how to make them go away” (107).

Claire is not a rebel at heart, but rather has grown up within the confines of this community and its oppressive rules. She understands that the way she is feeling is not acceptable but does not seem to be able to help her maternal bond with her son. Before all else, Claire is a mother and that aspect is the most defining part of her personality.