In a coming-of-age narrative, a teen experiences alienation from the adult world he sees as phony. Which term best fits?

• A. Resilience
• B. Conformity
• C. Alienation
• D. Individuality

Answer: (C)

Alienation is the feeling of being estranged or detached from the adult world, especially when that world seems phony. In coming-of-age stories, this sense of distance from adults often drives the character to question norms and seek a truer self. This term fits best because the emphasis is on the teen’s emotional separation from the world he’s surrounded by. Resilience focuses on coping, not the disconnect; conformity means subscribing to the adults’ view, not distancing from it; while individuality is about forming one's own identity, the scenario centers on the estrangement itself rather than simply the growth of selfhood.