Religion plays an important role in Margaret's life, but not in the manner that many readers might expect: rather than adhering to formal religious principles, Margaret doesn't have a set faith. Throughout the novel, she tries desperately to discover where she fits—Judaism or Christianity—and deals repeatedly with the pressures and biases of the adults around her. But Margaret's true connection to religion comes not when she sits in a mass or at temple, but when she is alone and talks to God on her own. In such private conditions, she truly feels a sense of religious devotion.