55 pages • 1 hour read
Lucy ScoreThe Worst Best Man
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2024A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Frankie’s Dresses
The motif of Frankie’s dresses follows the evolution of her relationship with Aiden and his world. Her first bridesmaid dress aptly reflects her working-class social status, as it is a used designer dress, and even then, Frankie must take a second job in order to pay for it. Doing so fuels her pride at remaining an independent woman who provides for herself. However, she also feels like an outsider in Aiden’s world, where expensive dresses are everyday items rather than luxurious extravagances. When the dress gets ruined during her attempt to rescue Chip, Aiden easily provides her with a new one, highlighting the extreme class-based difference between them. Frankie accepts the dress out of necessity but resents his casual gesture because she feels as though her former self—the woman who valued independence so much—is now being replaced by a woman who allows a man to take care of her. She therefore resists the dress and Aiden himself because she is still unsure of him and wary of his economic and social resources. The replacement dress is a symbol of her resentful, partial resistance and her reluctant acquiescence to his presence in her life.
As the novel progresses, Frankie continues to accumulate dresses from Aiden, and each new gift—and her acceptance of it—emphasizes her softening resistance. The dress she buys with his credit card when she’s with Pru is one of the first major turning points in their relationship, as this is the first time that she fully accepts his generosity. Accepting the dress is her way of showing trust and her attempt at commitment after Pru helps her realize that she has been acting in a hurtful manner. Still, with future gifts, she fusses over the cost, and her lingering objections show that she has not fully accepted his presence in her life. Finally, however, the last dress mentioned in the novel—her wedding dress—is described as lying on the floor of her bridal suite. At this point, Frankie has fully incorporated Aiden’s worldview into her own way of life, and she understands that his gifts are not attempts to assert his power over her or manipulate her. At the end of the novel, she displays a calm acceptance of the fact that Aiden enjoys doing things for her. In this way, the evolution of Frankie’s dresses shows how her relationship with Aiden is evolving.
Aiden’s Migraines
The motif of Aiden’s migraines serves as a symbol of Aiden’s vulnerability. From their very first scene together, Aiden is hampered by stress migraines, and even when Frankie still actively dislikes him in the novel’s early chapters, she nonetheless treats him with care and kindness during these episodes. She proves within the first few chapters that she is able to take care of him—something that his own family has never bothered to do. As the novel progresses, the characters must learn to be vulnerable with each other, and Aiden’s extreme migraine in Chapter 47 is a turning point for Frankie when she realizes that she has strong feelings for him. It is also the moment in which he is the most physically vulnerable, and his willingness to show this side of himself indicates his deep trust in Frankie. At the end of the novel, she eliminates the cause of his metaphorical headaches when she takes decisive steps to ensure that Elliot will never bother either of them again. By blackmailing Elliot out of the business, Frankie shows her loyalty to Aiden and literally and figuratively cures his headaches. The progression of Aiden’s migraines therefore parallels the characters’ journey toward true love.
Aiden’s and Frankie’s Apartments
The homes of both protagonists stand as concrete representations of their vastly different economic circumstances. However, their respective homes also demonstrate their priorities and chosen lifestyles. Aiden’s apartment is, by his own admission, “a two-dimensional replica of a home, a life” (238), and in Frankie’s words, it is “a little empty, a little lonely” despite being the penthouse suite (291). His home symbolizes his loneliness, and it is soon apparent that he needs to become a part of Frankie’s more vibrant, authentic lifestyle in order to fill the emptiness of his current existence.
By contrast, Frankie’s apartment is more of a community space. From the beginning, Aiden is able to access her apartment easily, as friends and neighbors lend him keys. Her brothers also have full access to her space. She is community oriented, and her apartment reflects it. While Aiden’s couch is uncomfortable and is rarely used, Frankie’s place is a popular gathering spot for her family, and despite her rundown furniture and drafty windows, her home is hospitable and open. The further their relationship progresses, the more their homes begin to take on aspects of each other. For example, Aiden buys Frankie a new, comfortable mattress, and when she visits his home, she insists on lounging in casual clothing. As both characters make concessions and compromises, Aiden’s apartment gains humanity while Frankie’s collects new luxury items. These shifts indicate Aiden’s commitment and his belief that that she is worth the expense.
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By Lucy Score
