Unfriended

Benedict Arnold plays a prominent role in the story, as Truly wants to put on a play about Arnold for the History Day project. Arnold’s story builds a connection between Truly’s eighth-grade experience and political warfare. Truly writes the play herself, and she doesn’t give herself a role, alluding to her outsider status. Lulu plays John Andre, a French-born English intelligence officer who led the negotiations to acquire West Point. Evangeline plays Arnold. Lulu’s and Evangeline’s roles don’t have overt connections to their roles at school. However, Brooke plays George Washington, as she’s the most popular girl in school. Natasha plays Peggy Shippen, Arnold’s second wife.

Shippen came from a wealthy family of loyalists who wanted America to remain under British rule. The article “Why Did Benedict Arnold Betray America?” provides a summation of Arnold’s motives for betraying America, which relate to Shippen: The English offered Arnold £10,000 to access West Point, and Arnold could give Shippen the affluent life she was accustomed to (Seven, John. “Why Did Benedict Arnold Betray America?” History. 20 Sep. 2023). Thus, Lulu quips, “So wait. This Peggy girl? She totally played Benedict, right?” (356). The novel links Shippen’s scheming to Natasha’s plotting, indicating that Shippen compelled Arnold to become a traitor.

Truly has other ideas about Arnold’s motives. Early in the narrative, she states, “I think Benedict thought if he turned over West Point to the British, he could end the war. The war wasn’t so popular right then—so many soldiers who were basically only teenagers dying […] He could bring peace, and be a hero” (92). Truly ascribes selfless motives to Arnold: He didn’t betray his side for money or his wife; rather, he negotiated with the British to end the war and the cycle of death and destruction. The “hero” aspect relates to Truly’s belief that Arnold, like many eighth graders, just wanted to be “popular.” However, Arnold was already acclaimed. One of his supporters was George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental (American) Army and the first president of the United States of America (1789-1797). Additionally, if Arnold’s main objective was to stop “teenagers dying,” he likely wouldn’t have asked for £10,000, nor would he have gone to fight for the British, leading an attack against New London, Connecticut.

Whatever Arnold’s motives, his presence in the novel highlights the intensity of the conflict between Truly and the other girls. Though the girls aren’t in a life-or-death situation like physical war, their deep investment in the social dynamics of the eighth grade makes them feel like they’re in some kind of historically significant and precarious situation. When the girls discuss the play, Natasha becomes confused. She can’t tell if they’re talking about the roles they’re playing or themselves. Natasha notes, “[E]verything they were saying had double and triple meanings” (357). The girls perform the play in the last chapter after Truly introduces it. She repeats her belief that Arnold mainly wanted to be “popular.” The thesis is simplistic, viewing Arnold at the same developmental level as an eighth grader. At the same time, Truly’s statement reveals the complexities and depth of her experience. The quest for popularity isn’t juvenile: The desire to be liked drives people of all ages.