Douglas Coupland's "Girlfriend in a Coma" is novel that illustrates
the interaction of teenagers in the 1970's, showing the gradual
change in behavior as they get older. The novelist portrays the
carefree atmosphere of the late 1970's to the uptight feeling of
the 1990's. By contrasting the two different eras, one learns of
how different society was, as well as lifestyle, back then. The
characters in the novel must learn to cope with their anxieties
about their friend Karen as she remains in her coma, along with
maintaining their own lives and personal habits. Along the course
of their life, each character discovers themselves unwillingly,
most end up not liking what they find. Coupland brings about a way
to personify the characters, allowing the reader to feel
compassionate toward them. Even though most of the characters hold
a respectable position in society, they still manage to maintain
their ways, informing the reader that in society people usually
base each other on assumption or societal status.