Luckiest Girl Alive Essay Questions

How and why does Ani attempt to fit in when she first starts at the Bradley School?

When Ani first starts attending the Bradley School, her mother makes it clear that she will be surrounded by students from a higher socio-economic standing, and that succeeding at the school might allow Ani to get into a prestigious college. While Ani is nervous at first, she initially seems to possess some cachet as a new student. She attracts some attention from Liam, and since he is an attractive boy, Liam's attention helps to make Ani more socially alluring. Ani tries to fit in by modifying her appearance: buying new clothes, coloring her hair, and losing weight. She also quickly identifies which students possess social capital (students like Dean, Hilary, and Olivia) and makes an effort to fit in with them. Ani does not exactly shun socially marginalized students like Arthur but she spends most of her time trying to fit in with students who can help her be perceived as popular and desirable.

Why did Ani, in her adult life, realize that Luke was not the right husband for her?

While it seems that Ani has always been ambivalent about Luke, she initially thought that he would be at least a moderately supportive partner, and that she could keep him satisfied and devoted to her. Paired with Luke's wealth and social status, this dynamic would give Ani everything she has ever wanted. However, over the course of their engagement, Ani becomes increasingly disgusted with Luke's political and social values. He has a very privileged and entitled worldview, and seems unable to show empathy towards anyone who is less privileged than he is. Ani's participation in the documentary also reveals that Luke cannot relate to or cope with the trauma that Ani has endured; he wants her to simply move on, hide her feelings, and perform his version of the role of the perfect woman.

What does Ani believe will help her to feel safe in the wake of her trauma? What turns out to actually be a source of strength and safety for her?

Ani becomes obsessed with money, success, and beauty because she thinks these things will protect her from the kind of suffering that she endured as a teenager. One of the first times that Ani went to New York City, she encountered a beautiful and well-dressed woman who seemed to have a high powered career. Ani decided that she wanted to build this kind of identity for herself so that no one would ever be able to wield power over her again. However, in order to maintain the identity that Ani thinks she needs to possess, she needs to hide her authentic identity. She has to repress the anger, fearfulness, and dark edges that reflect her identity as a victim and a survivor. The only thing that truly makes Ani feel strong is telling the truth about what happened to her, and rejecting Luke.

What role does Mr. Larson play in the novel?

Mr. Larson functions as a beacon of hope in the novel, showing Ani that there are good and trustworthy people (and especially, good men) in the world. When Ani is a young student, Mr. Larson sees her potential, and takes her seriously; he also tries to help her once he realizes that she has been sexually assaulted. Later, when Mr. Larson and Ani re-encounter one another, he continues to respect and admire Ani. Of all the adults that Ani interacts with, Mr. Larson is virtually the only one who is trustworthy and supportive. He also functions as a foil character to Luke, because he does not judge Ani, and admires her for who she is. While he is overall a good man, Mr. Larson is also complex because he is clearly attracted to Ani, even though he is married and has children. He also fulfills the function of showing that characters can be complex and morally ambiguous.

To what extent is Ani lucky or unlucky?

The title of the novel alludes to Ani being lucky. Based on how Ani appears to a casual observer in the contemporary story line, she is indeed lucky: she is young, beautiful, ambitious, advancing in a high-profile and interesting career, and engaged to a wealthy and handsome man. As readers learn more about what happened to Ani when she is a teenager, she could also be viewed as lucky to have survived the Bradley school attack without permanent injury. However, it is also ironic to call Ani lucky because she has endured terrible things. Ani consciously cultivates all the qualities that people might view as lucky, because she wants to appear powerful and invincible. This context also throws the very idea of being "lucky" into question: it would be easy for someone to look at Ani's elegant and beautiful exterior, or her seemingly enviable relationship, and think that she is merely lucky, but Ani works extremely hard to cultivate and shape the life she wants.