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Who else has a major gripe about the character of Bobbi? She reads like an extreme parody of left-wing militant feminism, and yet Sally Rooney - or at least Frances - wants us to take her completely seriously, without any of her views or her attitude being challenged. Or is this - in some way - meant to be the "point" - that Frances is completely accepting of Bobbi, thus revealing Frances' own flaws.
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Phoebe
I think it's the latter. In general, I think we're supposed to find them very intellectual but very young, thus many of their opinions and ideals haven't been challenged in the "real world" yet. My gripe about Bobbi is that she's too shadowy. Sally Rooney only seemed to be able to fully conjure her own avatar, Frances. So, for instance, we are told Bobbi is funny, but the book is devoid of humor. We are meant to think Bobbi is a good friend, but she does a lot of hurtful and provocative things and we never understand why. I think we're meant to feel Bobbi is as jealous and competitive with Frances as Frances is with her...though, IMO, Nick takes over too much of the narrative.
Benjamin Eskola
Perhaps part of the problem is that you interpret the political positions in question as 'extreme' and thus assume they must be parodic and that nobody could genuinely believe these things. I certainly don't remember reading anything from either Bobbi or Frances that didn't seem like a genuine opinion somebody could seriously hold.
Of course, that's not the same as saying that the character (or characters) had no flaws: on the contrary, I think part of the issue is that Frances tended to idolize Bobbi, ignoring the ways in which Bobbi had hurt or mistreated her in the past, while also overlooking the ways which she in turn hurt or took advantage of Bobbi.
Of course, that's not the same as saying that the character (or characters) had no flaws: on the contrary, I think part of the issue is that Frances tended to idolize Bobbi, ignoring the ways in which Bobbi had hurt or mistreated her in the past, while also overlooking the ways which she in turn hurt or took advantage of Bobbi.
Frances
I felt that Bobbi was the sort of character that it is very hard to convey on the page-that she was a very charming/charismatic individual who would quickly become the focus of attention. We see that in how she quickly gets to know/gets into conversations with all sorts of peripheral characters-wait staff, a taxi driver, other guests at parties-and people will talk to her and be attracted to her (including Melissa). Their friendship in school was very much the friendship of a couple of misfits who only have each other and therefore become intensely drawn together, and as they move into Uni that sort of quirkiness and non-conformity becomes more accepted and even attractive.
Alison Vandermay
I think its your second point. There's a part in the book where Bobbi even mentions to Frances that she makes people seem better than they are and that she doesn't really see their flaws. I don't remember the passage exactly. But there is also a point when Bobbi is going off about something to Phillip and other friends and Frances has to change the subject - in her head not because what Bobbi is doing is wrong but to save Phillip from 'embarrassment' when Bobbi wins the argument, but you can tell the other people in the conversation aren't thrilled with what Bobbi is saying. It's just Frances being ideological.
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