Of all the Conner children, Darlene was the one that stood out the most. She goes from a sarcastic tomboy kid to a sarcastic moody teen to, ultimately, a sarcastic young mom and bride. But it's in this episode that we first see some depth behind Darlene's sarcasm.
Darlene quickly writes a poem for a class assignment. It turns out to be good, and she's selected to read it aloud at an assembly, something she refuses to do. Roseanne and Dan fight about it, and Roseanne ultimately wins (duh), forcing Darlene to read the poem.
"To whom it concerns / Darlene's great with a ball / But guys don't watch tomboys / When they're cruising the hall," Darlene reads, bringing everybody to tears. It's a sentiment everyone can relate to: the search to fit in and find your place, and feeling lost and confused throughout the process.