Older Men treats some very serious themes, several of which are highly unusual for young adult literature. A central theme, however, is fairly common: growing up. It is especially difficult for Elise, the central character and narrator of the story, to grow up because of her overbearing father and her ineffectual mother. Instead, her tendency is to remain entirely dependent on her father, doing exactly what he wants when he wants. She soon realizes, however, that she is allowing her father to stifle her growth and to rule tyrannically over her and her mother, who voluntarily admits herself to a mental hospital in large part because of Nate's pressure and then discovers that she cannot get out unless Nate agrees to take care of her. Nate refuses to agree. In spite of these problems, by the time the novel ends, Elise has rebelled against her father's control. Both...