Teenage Angst

The most important theme in the story is emotional teenage angst. External forces, as well as burgeoning emotions, complicate the lives of Sean, Liz, Maggie and Dennis. The impact of family and home situations is clearly seen in the contrast between the home situations of Liz and Sean, who have more privileged life styles but less parental support, and the home lives of Maggie and Dennis, who come from more modest homes with involved parents who participate in their children's lives. A big source of anxiety for Maggie and Dennis is physical attractiveness, and the two suffer from looking and acting less than perfect, especially in contrast to the beautiful Sean and Liz.

The major source of emotional distress is the sexual tension experienced between each of the couples, although to differing degrees. Maggie and Dennis experience the pangs of a new relationship and the awkwardness that...