Pre-teen Sexuality

The anticipation of sexual development and puberty plays a big role in Margaret’s sixth grade year. Margaret prays most often that God will help her breasts develop faster so that she will not be so flat. Nancy Wheeler is perhaps the character in the biggest hurry to transform into a sexual being. She insists on wearing a 32AA bra when all her friends are still in no-size training bras. Nancy has a drawer full of cosmetics that she is not allowed to wear yet, but has ready for when she turns thirteen. Nancy is also the most boy crazy of the group and practices kissing a pillow. When Gretchen is the first to get her period, Nancy is devastated and stoops to lying that she starts hers a week later. Though Margaret internally questions Nancy’s haste toward growing up, she also feels inadequate in comparison...