Then the girls had led her here, blindfolded still, through the corridors of Betsy Johnson's house and shut her in the cellar. It would be an hour before they came to get her, but then Rat Court would be all over and she would say what she had to say and go home.

Question

For tonight was the grand finale, the trial by fire. There really was no doubt now that she would get in. She could not think of anyone who had ever been invited into the high school sorority and failed to get through initiation time. But even so, her case would be quite different. She would see to that. She could not exactly say what had decided her revolt, but it definitely had something to do with Tracy and something to do with the heather birds.
—"Initiation,"
Sylvia Plath

Read this passage. In your own words, explain how the central conflicts leads Millicent to change

Answer 1

The central conflict in the passage is Millicent's internal struggle with whether or not to go through with the initiation process for the high school sorority. The pressure and expectations of fitting in and being accepted by the group are causing her to doubt herself and question whether or not she really wants to be a part of it. The mention of Tracy and the heather birds seems to be triggering her rebellion and desire to stand up for herself. This conflict ultimately leads Millicent to make a decision to change and assert her independence by standing up against the pressure to conform.