Coming of Age

One of the other primary themes that runs throughout the novel is growing up and coming of age. Bettina struggles with who she is and how she feels on the inside compared to who she is and what other people want her to be on the outside, especially Bettina's mother, Babs. Bettina deals with the consequences in life that come from telling lies and then having to confess the truth, as well as being the daughter of an heiress.

Bettina also faces the rite of passage of having some of her first sexual experiences. While she is not in standard dating situations, Bettina becomes involved sexually with two different boys at her boarding school. Although these are not acts she willingly wants to commit, because of the way she is raised, Bettina believes she must engage in these sexual acts with these two boys.

Truths and Secrets