Winnie is the protagonist of Tuck Everlasting. Though she is a child for the entire story, she matures significantly from the book’s opening to its final chapters. At the beginning, Winnie is a frustrated girl on the edge of womanhood. Her family stifles her, and she grows “tired of being looked at all the time” (16). She longs to have time to herself where she can explore who she is, and she hungers for excitement.

When the Tucks enter her life, Winnie discovers her desires stem from a lack of understanding. She wanted freedom and exhilaration because she’d never experienced those things before and thought they would complete her life. After having new experiences that are both intriguing and frightening, Winnie learns to appreciate the predictability of her life before while also seeing how others do things differently. For Winnie, the Tucks represent the idea that there is not only one way to live life.

Winnie’s feelings for Jesse motivate many of her decisions. She initially decides to listen to the Tucks’ story because Jesse interests her, and her crush on him makes her want to know more. As she gets to know the Tucks and longs for her family, her feelings for Jesse influence her choice to stay with them.