Could you explain to our readers what happens to girls in early adolescence. In early adolescence, girls move from the safety of their own families into a broader world. That's when they experience great pressure to be thin, attractive, sexual, popular and yes, even stupid. Girls who make good grades are often teased for their academic achievements. Girls who loved sports often begin to care more about acceptance than excelling.
Many girls sacrifice their wholeness on the altar of social acceptability.
The book's title comes from Hamlet. Ophelia was mentally intact and happy until she fell in love with Hamlet. She was torn between her desire to please him and to please her father. She grows confused, depressed, and eventually, she kills herself. Her experience is a good metaphor for what happens to many girls in early adolescence.