The girl
The young girl at the center of the novel, who has been cast off for much of her life and not given the opportunity to learn, has more skills than men, two times her age and size.
The colony
The colony claimed that they wanted to be able to grow all of their food. However, they didn't study the land to determine if that was possible, ultimately condemning several hundred people to death.
The Indian tribes
The colonists treated the Indian tribes around them with contempt and disgust. However, they also ironically expect them to freely and willingly trade with them and provide them with sustenance for the winter. Generally, when people treat everyone around them badly, they also know they won't be there for them; the colonists didn't have such a thought.
The colony
Readers know the fate of the colony the girl resides in, but other characters—including the girl herself—don't know its fate. This instance of dramatic irony reinforces that the girl's decision to leave was the right one and shows how ill-prepared the colonists were.
