How the Nurse Feels

How the Nurse Feels is a story of a teenage girl named Tess Powell, who during the course of the story goes through some profound changes. Tess plays the role of the Nurse in her school’s current production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” But Tess has a rather bothersome problem. She is not able to play her role correctly, because of a failure in fully understanding and thereby expressing the emotions felt by the character. During the story she gets a crush on a boy, who has a small role in the play. Tiger De Soto, whom she barely knows, is the troublemaker, and he is a contrast to Tess, who is the well-behaved daughter of a reverend.
Because of a blizzard the school is closed for about a week, and the play is temporarily postponed. During the time the pupils are at home, Tiger disappears. At the end of the story it is revealed that Tiger died in an accident. The events following the blizzard, especially witnessing the anguish of Tiger’s parents, inspires Tess in a way she thinks will enable her to play the role of the Nurse. But apparently she did not deliver a successful performance on the opening night.
Tess, the main character, is a typical 15-year-old girl. As many other teenagers she is eagerly struggling to define her identity and figure out what she wants of life. Tess’ inability to figure out who she is, and to sort out all the emotions, which follows in the wake of adolescence, is symbolized by her incapability to figure out the correct way to play the nurse, the role, in her “Romeo and Juliet”. Even her drama teacher, Mr. Swick can’t motivate her.
Tess feels that her life is very tedious. She is tired of living in the small town of Winetka with her conservative parents. Her father, the reverend, is a very concerned and conservative man, whose main worry seems to be the problems of other families in town. Tess dreams about living in New York. “Instead, I have to sleep in a pink satin bedroom designed by my mother and, during supper, give feedback