Clare

Clare is one of the main characters of the novel. At the start of the novel, Clare has just finished high school and is on the verge of leaving her Illinois hometown for college. Having always dreamed of moving to the East Coast, Clare is excited to be starting at Dartmouth in New Hampshire. However, Clare is also worried about all that she cannot predict beyond the present moment. She has spent the entire summer “poring over class descriptions and campus maps and messages from her new roommate, trying to get a clearer picture of what her life will soon look like” (11). In spite of her efforts, Clare has realized that “it’s impossible to imagine the details” (11). Rather than feeling excited about all of the next year’s questions and possibilities, Clare is anxious. She feels that there are too many unknowns and that once she leaves...