In the given case, Adeline is probably to get scared and shocked regarding menarche as the culture of her time did not assist in educating young women about menarche.
Menarche refers to the initiation of the menstrual cycle, or first menstrual bleeding, in females. From both the medical and social point of view, it is usually regarded as the principal incident of female puberty, as it indicates the probability of fertility.
According to a report published by US officials the The predominance of obesity is 13.9 percent between 2- to 5-year-olds, 18.4 percent among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 20.6 percent amidst 12- to 19-year-olds.