Ordinary People
by Judith Guest
Table of Contents
Jeannine Pratt
Jeannine Pratt is Conrad’s girlfriend. In many ways, she is an important character only because of her relationship with Conrad. She symbolizes his desire to move forward and have a normal life. However, she is also highly symbolic of what a normal life is. Her parents are divorced, and Jeannine responded to their divorce by acting in a self-destructive way. While she became somewhat promiscuous, her behavior highlights the fact that people often hurt themselves when they are hurting. Therefore, the fact that she can understand Conrad’s suicide attempt and does not judge him as a bad person because of it, allows them to have a significant relationship. It is also meaningful that she is new to the high school, having moved there after her parents’ divorce. Unlike the other girls at the high school, she has no memory of Buck, and therefore cannot compare Conrad to Buck.
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