How do the people in Davita’s life shape her to be who she is?

Davita’s Harp by Chaim Potok was published in 1985 but tells the story of Davita Chandal and her search for identity in 1930s New York.
Davita was the child of a mixed marriage. Her mother was a Polish Jewish immigrant and her father a Christian from a wealthy New England family. Both her parents had turned their backs on their heritage and became members of the Communist Party. Through their many communist meetings, Davita meets and is influenced by a number of their friends. One of these is Jakob Daw, an Australian writer who tells Davita many stories. After he leaves New York, he continues these stories in the letters he writes to her. Another important person in Davita’s life is her Aunt Sarah, her father’s sister. A Christian nurse, she takes care of Davita when her mother is ill. She also takes care of Davita after she attempted to take her own life. She also, following her suicide, learns to trust again and meets David Dinn at the beach who becomes her very close friend and eventually her step-brother.