Margaret doesn't just find herself standing on the cusp of being a kid and being a teenager in Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret—she also finds herself suddenly plopped down in the middle of sleepy suburban Farbrook, New Jersey after spending the first eleven years of her life in New York City. This means our girl's got to find new friends, adjust to a new school… and pick a religion pronto, since suddenly she lives some place where that really matters to people. That's a lot of change for one kid to handle, but Margaret pretty much nails it.
Questions About Contrasting Regions: NYC vs. Farbrook, NJ
- If she'd stayed in New York, when would Margaret have gotten around to worrying about her religion (or lack of one)?
- Does it seem like it would be easier to be a teenager in New York or Farbrook?
- What do you think the real reason is that Margaret's parents packed everything up and moved to Farbrook?
Chew on This
Margaret is challenged by moving to the suburbs in the same ways that people from the suburbs would be challenged by a move to a big city.
The difference in how community is defined between New York and the suburbs is what really makes Margaret decide that she needs to find a religion of her own.