Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
A mini history lesson: Germany invaded France during World War II; France didn't see it coming.
A mini analysis: Trina is France, and Dominique is Germany.
Want the longer version? Okay. Here goes.
Trina is France. Check out Leticia's references to France:
I almost ask Mr. Walsh what does Germany ganging up on poor little France have to do with Gene and Finny and Leper and Quackenbush. (7.21)
We already know that Dominique and her girls Shayne and Viv are going to gang up on Trina in the lunchroom, though Dominique is the only one who attacks. We'd hope that Leticia would see the unfairness of it all. But she doesn't. Instead she says:
I can see why Germany was through with France. France thought she was cute with all her invisible consonants and invisible lines, and Germany was trying to keep things real. (11.16)
You know who else Leticia thinks finds herself a little too cute? Yup—Trina. Leticia's referencing the Maginot lines made between France and Germany during WWII, which is also a shout-out to her answer earlier in English class, when she says:
"Maginot lines either means imaginary lines or not imaginary lines. It depends how you look at it." […] I'm positive "imaginary" is the English translation of Maginot. It sounds right. (7.16)
Strangely enough, Leticia's somewhat right since the Germans just bypassed the Maginot lines, almost as if they didn't exist. Translated onto Trina's character, she's attacked as though there's no reason not to—even though there's actually no reason to hurt her in the first place.
Leticia thinks that she understands why Germany (Dominique) might be done with France (Trina): She recognizes that France and Germany, well, they have nothing in common. France thinks she's cute; Germany is gritty and real. We can't get more obvious, Shmoopers.
The last France reference is from Mr. Yerkewicz, the teacher who had a heart attack, who mentions the Treaty of Versailles, which occurred at the end of World War I. Basically, the Germans had to pay reparations and decrease their military… but the treaty didn't work, since Germany invaded France at the start of WWII. As Yerkewicz says, "Those French didn't stand a chance" (29.15), and when he does, we know Trina doesn't either.