The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

Matthew represents Western society’s panoptical and patriarchal social structure, in which a figurative watcher observes and polices others’ behavior to be sure they’re abiding by the standards that govern male and female conduct. As a wealthy, white, attractive young man, Matthew enjoys a great deal of social privilege, and he is always a “watchman,” invested in maintaining the status quo. Though he has fun pulling pranks and committing minor rule infractions (like throwing a party on the campus golf course), Matthew never does anything truly subversive or critical of authority because his privilege aligns him with that authority; he is a member of the “Alabaster elect,” the privileged, secure, and confident boys who will go on to occupy positions of power and authority. He never critiques or rebels against the norms that give him social power, just like Frankie’s father, Senior.

While Matthew is not the novel’s antagonist, he is a partial representation of the society that is. He, like Senior, will likely always prioritize his “Old Boy” and Basset status and continue to rely on the loyalties he forms with other Bassets throughout his life. Senior’s relationships with his “cronies” cement his own status in the world, constantly reinforced by their continued social and professional interactions. Frankie is excluded from taking part in these interactions just as she is always kept at arm’s length from Matthew’s circle.

Matthew is a sensible choice as leader of the Bassets because he is such a follower. He has nothing to prove and no resentment or competitiveness since he is so confident—this quality comes from never being denied. Girls do what he wants, and so do boys. He models the ideal social standard for other boys and signals to girls, like Frankie, that they are most attractive when they are helpless. This is why he is so shocked when Frankie admits responsibility for the Order’s pranks: He never suspected her of being capable of such intrigue and rebelliousness. His life experiences have led him to expect women to be docile and helpless, and Frankie’s choices are so contrary to his expectations that he struggles to comprehend them. He writes her off as “crazy” and immediately reports her to campus authorities. Though Matthew participated in and respected the pranks when he believed Alpha masterminded them, he feels there is something very wrong with a girl who does the same, highlighting a double standard that pervades the thinking of many men and women.

Alpha is the one male character who does not share Matthew’s privilege. He is good-looking and appears confident, but he lacks the family and financial status of the Livingstons. His parents never married, and his father is not present in his life. His mother’s long-time boyfriend paid Alpha’s tuition, but when this boyfriend left his mother for a younger woman, he withdrew financial support. As a result, Alpha attended public school in the city. Alpha was so unhappy about this situation that he petitioned the Alabaster board of directors to give him a scholarship, and he returns to the school for his senior year. 

Alpha is well-respected and popular among the Bassets, and though the other boys seem unaware of his differences, Alpha is very aware of them. In an effort to prove himself and retain his “alpha” status among his peers, he accepts responsibility for the pranks. He also claims to only date girls who are willing to be his “she-wolf” and always follow him; he also feels the need to “mark” Matthew as his territory. Despite meeting Frankie first, he will not oppose Matthew and compete for her because he defers to Matthew’s superior privilege and status. When Matthew fails to police Frankie’s rebellious behavior in the cafeteria, it is Alpha who mocks him and reminds him to do so. Alpha reminds Matthew that he must be loyal to his male friends over his girlfriend.

By these actions, Alpha proves to be a young man who goes the extra mile to ensure that he retains what privilege he does have. It is in his best interest to keep Matthew loyal, and he succeeds in doing so: Ultimately, Matthew turns Frankie in to save Alpha, though Alpha took the credit for everything Frankie did. Alpha’s understanding of his gaps in privilege renders him similar to Frankie in some ways—he is the only Basset to think of retrieving the twine from the steam tunnels, to figure out the clues to the history’s location, and to strategize how to get and retain power in social interactions. For example, he tells Frankie she looks pretty, not as a compliment, but as a way of undercutting her intelligence. 

His nickname, then, is ironic, given that a true “alpha” male would be so self-assured he wouldn’t need to constantly prove himself. A true “alpha” male dominates effortlessly, while Alpha tries very hard because he realizes his position is conditional. This is why he diminishes his mother to her gender alone, referring to her as his “menstrual unit.” Therefore, he takes credits for Frankie’s pranks to maintain his “alpha” status.