Are You There God Its Me, Margaret essays

Are You There God' It's Me, Margaret essays Judy Blume's Are You There God' It's Me, Margaret has become a classic novel for preteen girls. Published in 1970, the book addresses the discomforts and confusions surrounding puberty and early adolescence. The central character of the novel, Margaret, has moved to a Farbrook, New Jersey from New York City. Her encounters with new girlfriends and her quest to fit in comprise the major plot structure of the novel. The young girls contend with pubescent physical and emotional changes, including budding breasts, first periods, and a new interest in cute boys. Moreover, religion plays a role in the story as a means of social group identification. Margaret has an innate, spontaneous, and personal relationship with God, with whom she communicates in times of need or stress. Her prayers, because they are unorthodox, stand in direct contrast to the organized religious structures in her new community as well as in her family. Are You There God' It's Me Margaret is a touching, engaging, well-written novel geared for prepubescent and pubescent girls; while the audience is limited, the book nevertheless remains a classic of young adult "Oh, you're still flat." Nancy laughed. "I'm growing alreadyIn a few years I'm going to look like one of those girls in Playboy," (6). Margaret's new girlfriends in Farbrook have already begun to grow breasts, while she lags behind, wishing that her body could catch up to theirs. This major source of insecurity for Margaret is an issue felt keenly by every teenage girl when they and their peers reach puberty. As each girl develops differently, some earlier, some later, Are You There, God' It's Me Margaret provides solace and comfort to young readers. Bloom's approach is as realistic as it is humorous: The young girls practice kissing on their pillows and they chant "We must, we must, we must increase our bust!" Moreover, the frank discuss...