One of the prominent themes in “Ghost World” is the struggle between childhood and adulthood that Enid and Becky face. While Becky becomes stagnant and wishes for life to revert to its previous high school state, Enid vehemently rebels against definition and endeavors to satisfy her underlying identity crises. By revisiting their childhood relics, the girls realize that they can no longer live in their own pasts and have no choice but to develop and find their respective futures.
Becky’s most difficult task lies in her inability to change. She is the conservative one in the group, and that prevents her from taking the necessary risks to move on with her life. Instead of attending college or moving out of the house, Becky begins working a steady job and develops an intimate relationship with Josh. Wh
The transition people make from childhood to adulthood is one of the most difficult. The pressures of school and work are extremely overwhelming for teenagers. The very idea of mapping out the rest of your life can be enough to drive a sane man crazy. In “Ghost World”, Enid and Becky deal with their separation in their own way. While Becky decides to settle down and minimize her stress, Enid feels that there is too much out there to wallow in a minimum wage job, hence her decision to leave home without prior notice. I can easily identify with Enid’s struggle, considering I am still overwhelmed by the fact that one of these days I am going to have to “grow up”. Everyone, though, needs to figure these things out for themselves, just as Enid and Becky did.