Bright Young Women

The novel focuses on the experiences of female characters and depicts strong bonds between women. These bonds are especially important because the female characters are often underestimated and disempowered. The entire concept of the sorority rests on the assumption that women can achieve more by being in community with one another, and women with connections to the sorority rally to help the young college students in the aftermath of the attack; one sorority alum offers her home as a place for them to stay, while a doctor who graduated from the sorority gives Pamela accurate information about the girls who were attacked. Pamela is fiercely protective of the other women in the sorority and builds lifelong bonds with some of them.

Tina most prominently shows the importance of female bonds and solidarity. After Frances helps “extricate Tina from what she saw as a blatantly abusive and disturbing marriage” (195), Tina dedicates the rest of her life to helping other women and building community. As she explains, “Helping other women view their lives in a liberated way, so that they can make choices that make them happy […] that fulfills me” (104). Tina helps Ruth feel empowered to break free from her controlling family and become more confident.