Some young readers get ideas about becoming women from teen romances novels with characters who are unsure of themselves as individuals and particularly in boy-girl relationships. Nancy Drew is never unsure of herself. In interviews with Nancy readers, Ch ristian-Smith considered the decisions that young girls make about themselves, about their lives and how Nancy influenced them. We find things in Nancy Drew from our own personal background and . . . Nancy still represents one of the few strong female characters in teen literature.
Girls have a tremendous desire to be independent, to have a differe nt life.
Christian-Smith learned that Nancy influenced readers in different ways mainly because of social rank and racial factors. For the Euro-American grandmother, Evelyn Jablonski, Nancy represented the person this first generation American girl wanted to be. The mysteries offered a world of possibilities. Nancy instilled the courage to seek a life beyond the confines of a restrictive farming community. Nancy sparked interest in travel to distant places.