Abstract | This paper deals with the concepts of beauty in Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary as the main character Bridget Jones obsesses over beauty and looks throughout most of the novel. Bridget, however, is not the only character who is concerned about her outer appearance. Many other characters, such as her mother, her friends, and even some love interests, show concern about her semblance, especially when it could make or break the status of Bridget’s love life. Throughout the novel, Bridget keeps track of her weight and intake of calories per day. Although some days seem to be rather successful, the results quickly crumble as Bridget experiences another misfortune in her row of unfortunate events. On the other hand, Bridget’s determination to get in shape is questionable as she puts almost no effort into maintaining her diet, when and if she even has one. She never mentions exercising and she never restrains herself from enjoying a calorie packed meal. Another concern is that she is struggling to make her outer appearance look presentable only because she is trying to find a suitor as her family and friends constantly remind her that the clock is ticking and that she is getting old. Yet, nobody is concerned about the amount of stress Bridget is experiencing, which is visibly shown in her smoking habit that she also keeps track of. The concept(s) of beauty in Fielding’s novel will thus be analysed through the comparison of what the experts in the fields of diet, nutrition, and exercise find healthy and what Bridget considers as healthy. Bridget’s thoughts, actions, and behaviour as well as her friends’ and family’s will be utilized to demonstrate how brittle one’s self-image really is and how easy it is to head in an unwanted direction. |