Imogen, Obviously: Questions and Answers

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

1. Why does Imogen agree to Lili’s lie about them being ex-girlfriends?

Imogen instantly says she isn’t upset when Lili confesses the lie in Chapter 4. She rationalizes that pretending to be bi is harmless because she sees herself as straight and believes her identity is not being erased—there’s nothing to “erase.” However, her quick agreement also stems from her deep need to please Lili and avoid conflict. Imogen later admits she was too cool about it because she didn’t want to make Lili feel worse. This moment sets up the central tension: Imogen’s performance of queerness while she’s genuinely unsure of her own identity.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 4, Imogen tells Lili, “It’s not a big deal” and “My straight identity? I don’t think that’s a thing.” This reaction shows her instinctive people-pleasing and her belief that her straightness is invulnerable. The lie becomes a catalyst for her eventual self-questioning.

2. How does the sausage prank symbolize Imogen’s desire for belonging?

When Kayla proposes hiding the Braunschweiger sausage in Declan’s room as part of an ongoing revenge game, Imogen eagerly agrees despite her discomfort (Chapter 12). The prank is an absurd, inside-joke ritual that the friend group uses to bond. By participating, Imogen wants to prove she belongs and can handle the group’s quirky culture. The sausage itself—a strange, semi-disgusting object—represents how far Imogen is willing to go to fit in, even if the role feels unnatural.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 12, Kayla asks Imogen to hide the sausage, and Imogen thinks, “I want to be part of this. I want to be in on the joke.” Later, in the closet with Tessa (Chapter 14), the prank leads to a charged moment that forces Imogen to confront her attraction.

3. What causes the rift between Imogen and Gretchen?

The rift begins when Imogen comes out to Gretchen at the diner in Chapter 51. Gretchen immediately accuses Imogen of appropriating queerness, saying things like “You’re not bi. You’re straight.” This denial comes from Gretchen’s own insecurity—she had always seen Imogen as her “emotional support hetero” and cannot accept that she was wrong. The argument deepens when Gretchen refuses to apologize sincerely; in Chapter 57, Lili calls it a “non-apology” (“You were hurt”). Imogen realizes their friendship may be over.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 51, Gretchen asks biphobic questions and says, “You don’t get to just decide you’re bi.” Imogen later reflects that Gretchen’s reaction is about her own need to feel validated as a “real” queer person. The friendship fracture is a major consequence of Imogen’s self-acceptance.

4. How does the “Where’s Waldo?” moment foreshadow Imogen’s self-discovery?

At trivia night (Chapter 8), Imogen finds Waldo in twelve seconds, winning the game. This becomes a running joke and even her group chat bio: “Skills: Waldo.” Later, in Chapter 47, Imogen realizes that her feelings for Tessa were always obvious—“like Waldo, never truly hidden.” The ability to spot what was right in front of her mirrors her eventual ability to see her own queerness. The game foreshadows that the truth has been visible all along, she just needed to look.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 8, the group celebrates her Waldo win, and Tessa adds her to the chat with the skill. In Chapter 47, Imogen thinks, “It was like Waldo—I’d been staring at him my whole life and never once called his name.” The parallel is explicit.

5. Why does Imogen struggle with the label “bisexual”?

Imogen repeatedly questions whether she deserves the label because she has only ever been attracted to one girl (Tessa) and fears she is “talking herself into it” (Chapter 33). She worries about appropriation and queerbaiting, especially after Gretchen’s gatekeeping. She also compares herself to Edith and Gretchen, who seem to have always known. Internally, she feels like an impostor, believing that bisexuality requires a long history or a certain level of certainty. This struggle reflects compulsory heterosexuality and the pressure to prove one’s identity.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 21, Imogen recalls past attractions to girls but dismisses them as “thought experiments.” In Chapter 27, she consults online quizzes to “rule it out.” The theme of doubting one’s queerness is central to her arc.

6. What is the significance of the scissors sculpture scene?

In Chapter 11, Tessa takes Imogen to see the scissors sculpture on campus—a large, public art piece that also serves as a queer symbol (scissoring). They take a photo, and Imogen later posts it on Instagram. The scene is significant because it is one of the first times Imogen performs queerness for an audience (her followers) while feeling guilt about lying. It also deepens her connection with Tessa, who playfully checks Imogen’s pulse. The scissors represent the tension between authentic identity and self-conscious performance.

Evidence & interpretation: Imogen notes that Tessa’s genuine queerness contrasts with her own fabricated story. The chapter ends with Imogen posting the photo and thinking about Edith’s natural queerness.

7. How does Edith’s support differ from Gretchen’s during Imogen’s questioning?

Edith, Imogen’s younger sister, consistently validates Imogen’s identity without question. In Chapter 51, after Gretchen’s outburst, Edith comforts Imogen and says, “She likes you, too. You know that, right?” and later tells her that Tessa isn’t trying to hide her feelings. Edith never demands proof or dictates how Imogen should identify. In contrast, Gretchen imposes a purity test for queerness, demanding a track record of attraction. Edith’s unconditional acceptance contrasts sharply with Gretchen’s gatekeeping, highlighting which friendship is truly supportive.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 36, Edith shares her own loneliness and vulnerability, showing she values Imogen for who she is. In Chapter 40, Edith calls out Gretchen’s pattern of creating drama and smoothing it over with gifts.

8. What hidden tension exists between Lili and Imogen before the truth comes out?

The tension centers on Imogen’s avoidance of Lili’s college world. In Chapter 3, Imogen feels excluded by inside jokes and is uncomfortable with queer topics. In Chapter 18, Lili calls Imogen out for people-pleasing, leading to a brief argument. Later, in Chapter 41, Lili reveals she felt Imogen was avoiding her visits because of the queer friends. The hidden tension is that Imogen’s own discomfort with her identity prevented her from fully engaging with Lili’s new life, creating a gap that neither spoke about until the confrontation.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 41, Lili says, “You’ve been avoiding me all year,” and Imogen admits she was intimidated. Lili also notes that she came out to Imogen first, but Imogen never reciprocated the trust.

9. How does the ending connect Imogen’s kiss with Tessa to her earlier fear of not being believable?

In Chapter 5, Imogen panics that she won’t be “believable as a queer girl.” She worries about gaydar and being seen as straight. In the climactic scene (Chapter 49), Imogen initiates a kiss with Tessa—her first real action as someone exploring her sexuality. Later, in Chapter 60, after they reunite in the rain, Tessa tells Imogen, “You don’t kiss like a straight girl.” This direct validation reverses Imogen’s earlier fear: she is not only believed, she is real. The kiss becomes proof of her authenticity.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 5, Imogen’s internal monologue says, “What if I’m not believable as a queer girl?” In Chapter 60, Tessa’s comment assures Imogen that her feelings are genuine.

10. Why does Imogen decide to tell Tessa the truth at the diner?

After Gretchen’s biphobic accusations at the diner (Chapter 51), Imogen is overwhelmed and leaves. But she knows the lie about dating Lili is unsustainable and that Tessa deserves honesty. Imogen also recognizes that if she can’t own her identity, she will always feel like an impostor. She confesses, “I’m not straight,” even as Gretchen tries to silence her. The decision comes from a place of self-protection and a desire for a relationship built on truth. It is her first public stand for her own identity.

Evidence & interpretation: Imogen states directly, “I’m not straight,” and then later tells Edith she feels relief. Tessa’s subsequent reassurance (Chapter 52) shows that honesty deepened their bond.

11. How does the recurring motif of “gaydar” reflect Imogen’s impostor syndrome?

Imogen first learns about gaydar in Chapter 5 as a survival mechanism—queer people recognize each other for safety. She feels she doesn’t have it because she’s straight, so she assumes she will never be seen as queer. This fuels her impostor syndrome when she pretends to be bi; she fears being “clocked” as a fake. Later, gaydar becomes a measure of her own legitimacy: if she can’t “sense” queerness in others, how can she claim it herself? The motif underscores her insecurity about not fitting in.

Evidence & interpretation: In the flashback in Chapter 5, Gretchen explains gaydar as evolutionary. Imogen thinks, “I really do wish it was mine sometimes.” The motif reappears in her self-doubt throughout the novel.

12. What role does compulsory heterosexuality play in Imogen’s denial?

Imogen has internalized the assumption that she is straight because she has never questioned it. In Chapter 26, she admits she misses the safety of being perceived as straight. She worries that one girl (Tessa) can’t “topple your entire sexuality.” Compulsory heterosexuality makes her feel that her attraction to girls must be a fluke or role-play rather than a genuine identity. In Chapter 52, Tessa explicitly names the concept, and Imogen recognizes how it has shaped her thinking. Only by rejecting that assumption can she accept her bisexuality.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 26, Imogen thinks, “One girl can’t topple your entire sexuality, right?” Tessa later gives her a “crash course” on compulsory heterosexuality in Chapter 52, which Imogen finds liberating.

13. How does the group chat dynamic shift Imogen’s sense of belonging?

When Tessa adds Imogen to the group chat after trivia night (Chapter 8), Imogen feels like she has found friends. The chat is a source of inside jokes and connection. However, after she returns home, the chat goes silent (Chapter 24), and Imogen feels like an outsider again. The shift reveals how easily her belonging depends on the group’s direct attention. Later, when she posts the scissors photo, Tessa’s comment “Is it gay, though?” (Chapter 31) brings her back into the fold, but the chat remains a barometer of inclusion.

Evidence & interpretation: In Chapter 24, Imogen notes the chat is quiet and she fears she doesn’t truly belong. In Chapter 31, Tessa’s comment reignites connection but also highlights Imogen’s insecurity.

14. Why does Imogen feel guilty about using the “Lesbian Elsa” story?

In Chapter 19, Imogen tells Tessa and Lili a fake coming-out story about dressing as Lesbian Elsa at age seven. The story belongs to her sister Edith. Imogen feels immediate guilt because it is a borrowed narrative—she has no authentic queer childhood memory to share. The guilt stems from her awareness that she is performing queerness for acceptance, and that doing so appropriates the real experiences of others. This moment deepens her internal conflict between authenticity and the need to fit in.

Evidence & interpretation: Imogen thinks, “I stole that from Edith,” and later in Chapter 36, they find Edith’s actual Lesbian Elsa dress, making her guilt resurface. The lie contrasts with Edith’s genuine identity.

15. How does the “liquid identity” metaphor in Chapter 40 encapsulate Imogen’s character arc?

In Chapter 40, on the drive back to Blackwell, Imogen describes herself as a liquid that takes the shape of its container—she molds herself to fit others’ expectations. This realization marks a turning point: she sees how she has performed as a straight ally, then as a bi ex-girlfriend, without asking who she really is. By the end of the novel, Imogen begins to claim solid ground—her own identity, independent of what others want. The metaphor captures her journey from passive shape-shifter to active self-definer.

Evidence & interpretation: Imogen thinks, “I’m a liquid. I take the shape of my container.” In the final chapters, she makes choices (kissing Tessa, coming out to her parents) that show she is learning to hold her own shape.