On one hand, Frankie's expected to be the baby of her family, the Bunny Rabbit. But on the other hand, she's expected to be Matthew's sweet and sometimes witty (but not too clever) younger girlfriend. But Frankie's true identity is something that no one else expects her to be—a good old-fashioned dissenter. She pranks all the boys and has the school administrators in a tizzy, and thrills in all of it. In that sense, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is simply the story of a girl who comes into her own by shaking off the influences of others.
Questions About Identity
- How does the Frankie we see at the beginning differ from the Frankie we see at the end of the book? Has her inner core changed, or is she still the same girl?
- Is Frankie one of those girls who is defined by her relationship? Why or why not?
- What does Frankie learn about herself by the end? Does she regret what she's become in any way?
Chew on This
As the story progresses, Frankie relies increasingly less on other people's input in order to make her own decisions. She no longer needs to check in with her friends, her boyfriend, and even Zada because she knows what she's doing. In other words, she's found herself.
Frankie wants to be a part of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds, but in the end, she finds that being her own person is more rewarding than being a part of the collective group.