Denise Lambert

Character Analysis

Denise is a melting pot. As the third and youngest child in the Lambert family, she had a much different experience growing up than her brothers. Unlike Chip, who tries on a new identity every day, Denise actually holds a wide range of identities within herself. Her challenge is to channel all of these different voices into one harmonious chorus.

Let's look at the two major identities that Denise struggles with:

• Denise the Tough Chick – Denise feels like herself when she wears "a sleeveless white T-Shirt and boy's jeans" (6.430). Remember, this is the same Denise that has little interest in romance while in high school, and the same Denise that shows her Midpac coworkers "the kind of work a girl can do" (5.303). But deep in her heart, Denise knows that this isn't the whole story.
• Denise the Elegant Woman – As Denise gets older, she begins to build on her personality. We see this aspect of Denise emerge when she rubs elbows with the rich and the famous, wearing a "black cashmere dress" (6.778) and playing the role of Brian Callahan's doting girlfriend with gusto. Yet once again, Denise knows that she still hasn't completely found herself.

So what is Denise supposed to do after all this? What sort of identity can she create for herself?

Best of Both Worlds

Ultimately, Denise realizes that she doesn't have to be one thing. Denise is a tomboy; Denise is a beautiful woman. Denise wants to be wanted; Denise wants to be the one doing the wanting. While she feels comfortable playing one role or the other, she becomes "breathless with the happiness of living" (6.430) when she finally sees herself as she truly is.

Like the rest of her family, Denise is holding on to a self-delusion that needs "correction." It's easy to see how this relates to her sexuality (ahem, Robin), but we think it goes deeper than that. Chip always thought that he didn't belong in the Lambert family, but that title really belongs to Denise. Although she shares many of her parents' qualities, her true self is something unique altogether.