A House Like a Lotus

Texts:
"Waiting for Icarus," by Muriel Rukeyser
Almost a Woman, by Esmeralda Santiago
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson

Statement:
When I was reading Speak, I knew Melinda's secret because I read a review about the book beforehand. Not knowing her secret did not make me want to read less. With Polly though, I had a hard time getting through the first fifty pages. Rather than entice me to keep reading, I thought the ambiguity surrounding Max made the reading slow. After that - especially as things picked up in her relations with Renny, Max, and Zachary - I thought it moved enjoyably.

Question:
Zachary explains Polly's character dead on when he states, "I'd say you're nearly thirty and nearly twelve. And there's something virginal about you." How does L'Engle evoke this complexity in Polly, and how does it parallel the complexity Polly's notices in others?