ipl-logo

Compare And Contrast The Fat Girl By Andre Dubus

458 Words2 Pages

Does appearance make up who you are? The short story “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus tells us a story about a girl named Louise, who struggles to fit into society's standards of the ideal image of a female body. Throughout the story, Dubus displays the mental and physical challenges Louise has to face. In our modern society, being pretty is essential to survive. Having such privileges mirrors who you are and your personality. A toxic environment can lead to one being unaware of the dangers that societal pressure presents, eventually this would drain the individual, causing them to be dictated to by others. One must defeat society's expectations and claim their worth. In the short story “The Fat Girl” By Andre Dubus, Louise shows the harmful influences that contribute to a lack of self-preservation. This leads one to lose their power, and it is ultimately up to the individual to reclaim themselves. When one loses their voice to stand their ground they're easily influenced by their surroundings. Depending on the environment an individual is in, they will mentally absorb their community …show more content…

Due to this environment we wouldn't see Louise speaking up for herself because her mother is always right. Louise moves to college and meets a girl named Carrie, they share a dorm together and this is the start of Carrie controlling Louise's habits that Carrie claims to be out of love; “I want you to be loved the way I love you. Louise, If I help you, really help you, will you go on a diet?”(163) After this Carrie gained total control of

Show More
Related

  • Body Ritual Among The Nacirema Summary

    743 Words  | 3 Pages

    The author also describes how much appearance is important to us. In what point of time did we allow our society to tell us what is and is not beautiful. People worried about what others would say or losing friends because their teeth are not perfect or they are not skinny enough. Your appearance should not take away from the person you are on the inside. We entrust dentist and plastic surgeons to cause pain to our bodies to meet societies expectations of beauty and spend thousands in the

    Read More

  • Tally Youngblood In Uglies By Scott Westerfeld

    1181 Words  | 5 Pages

    Is it worth losing your inner beauty, to have a pretty body image for an alternative? The famous best-selling author Mandy Hale states that “Outer beauty pleases the eye however inner beauty captivates the heart” (Mandy Hale). In the novel Uglies written by Scott Westerfeld, the protagonist; Tally Youngblood, is blinded by the society she lives in that impacts her perspective on her body image. To begin with, Tally goes through a significant development that alters her mind set. Moving on, the time period and locations that take place in the novel assists on exposing Westerfeld’s prominent overall message.

    Read More

  • Bisclarvet By Marie De France: An Analysis

    794 Words  | 4 Pages

    Making it seem that one’s humanity might be drawn toward the fact that one’s appearance plays into a big role toward ones human

    Read More

  • The Waxed Generation Summary

    451 Words  | 2 Pages

    Even though teenagers aspire to become “beautiful” like the people displayed throughout the world, society needs to realize imperfections make everyone unique and beautiful. As presented by The Denver Post, “As we seek to defy the limits of natural beauty, Hawthorne’s admonition about obsessing over natural imperfections is even more pertinent today than it was 150 years ago. His tale describes the destructiveness of trying to achieve physical perfection through operations. The protagonist realizes too late the need to accept, rather than erase, minor beauty flaws” (16). Despite the fact that everyone desires to have the perfect body, hair, and face, nobody is capable of looking this perfect.

    Read More

  • The Fat Girl By Andre Dubus Analysis

    954 Words  | 4 Pages

    This brings on the question as to why did Carrie suggest Louise to lose weight. Was she beginning to judge her or did she want her to be able to experience what she was experiencing? Did she feel that Louise was unhappy? Carrie states, “. . ..

    Read More

  • Examples Of Beauty In Uglies By Westerfeld

    545 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nobody can choose their physical appearance but that doesn’t make anyone less beautiful. People grow up thinking that being beautiful is how you look on the outside, but anyone can be truly beautiful. In this specific novel Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, the citizens are taught from a young age that you are never really beautiful until you get the perfect surgery at age 16. Also, the government tries to control the way people think about their appearance, but the people find the truth about beauty and rebel against the absurd rules. But true beauty comes from within, and not the outer appearance.

    Read More

  • Appearance And The Cost Of Conformity Analysis

    2443 Words  | 10 Pages

    As explained in the article “The Importance of Appearance and the Costs of Conformity” by Deborah Rhode, how one is treated is often tied to cultural standards regarding appearance. “Many of the mental health difficulties associated with appearance are the product of widespread social stigma and discrimination. ”(Rhode 41). I felt this discrimination early on in my life and absorbed the view that my weight and size made me worth less than others. The interactions with my peers contributed to my developing mental state and perception of my body.

    Read More

  • Uncovering In Andre Dubus The Fat Girl

    481 Words  | 2 Pages

    Uncovering Deeper Meaning in Andre Dubus’ “The Fat Girl” In the critical period of forming her identity, Louise battles with her obesity. Criticism from her family and friends cause her to question her body image and consequently, her self worth. Louise is not the only adolescent to struggle with her appearance; with his depiction of her transformation, Andre Dubus addresses those whose view of themselves is marred by society. After years of her weight and emotions fluctuating, Louise realizes a deeper change. Through Louise’s journey, Dubus communicates that the power to change oneself emanates from one’s self control and ability to surpass societal pressure.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of The Fat Girl By Andre Dubus

    394 Words  | 2 Pages

    He only wants to help her diet, so she can look nice and thin again. Louise knows that Richard doesn’t genuinely care about her like Carrie. All he wants is a trophy wife who he can show off during his boat rides. Louise also accepts herself because she knows her child loves her deeply. The story says, “Beneath Richard’s voice she hears a soft crying, feels it in her heart. . .”

    Read More

  • Two Or Three Things I Know For Sure Sparknotes

    1457 Words  | 6 Pages

    In the book “Two or Three Things I Know for Sure” by Dorothy Allison the theme of beauty is brought to light in a way that is intersectional and develops the story to new heights. Beauty is discussed throughout the book and is one of the main themes. Allison talks about beauty when referencing her family and herself, and the idea of what it means to be beautiful in her mind based on how she grew up and where she came from. Normatively, beauty is associated with outward appearance and one’s identity, however beauty should be recognized as intersectional and include everyone, based not only on their outwards appearance but based on the beauty of their personality and thoughts because every human is beautiful in their own way. Dorothy Alison transforms

    Read More

  • Loving Myself Illustrated In Marge Piercy's Barbie Doll

    1091 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sadly, most people spend their entire lives chasing a “perfect” physical appearance. Hours upon hours are spent shaping their bodies to become what other people say how they should look. This idea is interpreted to us through Marge Piercy’s “Barbie Doll.” In this poem, Piercy uses imagery, simile, and symbolism to illustrate the theme of loving yourself. The poem begins with an introduction of a common life for a young child.

    Read More

  • Comparing Legacies 'And The Beauty Treatment'

    600 Words  | 3 Pages

    Setting, income, and love can also indicate why a person is the way he or she is and the portrayal of him or herself. Throughout Legacies by Jan Zlotnik Schmidt and Lynne Crockett the theme of self-portrayal is laced through almost every fiction and nonfiction story. Legacies hosts a fiction story “The Beauty Treatment” by Stacey Richter. “The Beauty Treatment” is about two friends that diverge into completely different paths.

    Read More

  • The Rosie Project By Rossie Narcission

    1508 Words  | 7 Pages

    Realistically, someone’s outside appearance will not necessarily match their insides, and unfortunately, it is human nature to judge someone or something by its outside appearance. However, as relationships and bonds form between people, they’ll learn more about one another and rid themselves of preconceptions they may have initially had. This theme is prevalent in “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion. Although it's natural to have preconceived notions of someone based on their physical appearance, an individual's insides may completely differ. As relationships develop between people, they gain a deeper understanding of one another and shed preconceptions of each other that they may have had initially.

    Read More

  • Story Of An Hour Character Analysis Essay

    940 Words  | 4 Pages

    Although there is no clear statement that shows Louise to have an oppressive marriage, there are ambiguous statements about the marriage that show she feels caged. During the event of finding out about Brently’s death, Louise did not respond “as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its significance. She wept at once, with sudden wild abandonment” (Chopin), due to Brently’s death she is finally able to let out emotions that she has held in for so many years of being a dutiful wife. Once Louise is left alone to grieve she reflects upon her feelings and her marriage. The narrator points out that Louise knows she will cry again for him when she sees his funeral, remembering his “kind, tender hands...the face that had never looked save with love upon her” (Chopin).

    Read More

  • Story Of An Hour Literary Analysis Essay

    536 Words  | 3 Pages

    Louise is now free to think for herself. She can live for her, and do

    Read More

More about Compare And Contrast The Fat Girl By Andre Dubus

Open Document