Essay on Contextual Assignment
The modern society is vulnerable to stereotyping and growing consumerism. In this regard, the short story “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus reveals the full extent to which stereotyping is strong. In this regard, the short story Andre Dubus is close to Juliet B. Schor “The Culture of Consumerism” and Philip Slater “Want-Creation Fuels American Addictiveness”. Andre Dubus writes about the physical transformation of the main character and the persisting conflict between her internal world and look because he wants to reveal the full extent to which the dominant consumerist culture oppresses individuals and forces them to lead the lifestyle which meets existing stereotypes.
In actuality, the problem of the impact of the society is not new and can be traced not only in the short story “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubus, but also in works of Schor in “The Culture of Consumerism” and Slater “Want-Creation Fuels American Addictiveness”. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that Andre Dubus focuses on the problem of the girl, Louise, who suffers from the overweight. She faces the problem of the pressure of her social environment. In such a situation, she attempts to change her life under the pressure of her social environment. She cannot afford being an outcast. Even her parents cannot accept her as a normal girl because she is overweighed. At the same time, Louise does not have any internal problems. She feels being comfortable in her body, even though her parents and other people view her as outcast.
However, Louise cannot afford the pressure of her social environment and she follows recommendations of her friend to lose 60 pounds. As she becomes slim, she marries successfully but she cannot be happy. She understands that nobody knows her. The author shows that the main character just pretends to be what other people want her to be. She becomes slim and beautiful but her physical changes do not change her internal world. In such a way, the author shows that the modern society dominates over an individual, oppresses the individual and imposes norms and rules, which are dominant in the society, regardless of the views and beliefs of individuals. In fact, Louise cannot reveal her true self. Instead, she changes herself to meet requirements of the society.
In this respect, Dubus views are close to views of Schor, who also stands on the ground that the modern society is overwhelmed by consumerism. In fact, Louise, the main character of “The Fat Girl”, is the victim of consumerism and consumerist attitude to people. What is meant here is the fact that the society cannot accept Louise as she is. Instead, the society wants her to be slim and beautiful. In fact, she has to look beautiful to be accepted by the society. Her friends and even her parents cannot accept her, if she does not meet requirements of the society concerning the dominant views on beautiful women. Therefore, Louise cannot be successful, unless she meets standards of the female beauty dominating in the society. Dubus shows that the individual is unimportant for the society. Schor agrees with Dubus because she argues that consumerism makes people mere subjects to the consumption. The only goal of people is to consumer, whereas the consumerism has a destructive impact on an individual.
In this regard, Slater also supports views developed by Dubus and Schor. To put it more precisely, Slater argues that Americans are addicted to stereotypes and biases which dominate in the society leaving no room for individuals to manifest their free will and to uncover the real world. Instead, individuals have to adapt to their environment and to the dominant social views and beliefs. Individuals, like Louise, cannot resist to the impact of the society because they have a few choices. On the one hand, they can remain themselves and live in harmony with their self. On the other hand, the individual can accept social requirements and standards and to change herself as is the case of Louise. In this regard, Americans are addicted to the consumerism and they lead the lifestyle defined by the dominant culture, whereas individuals cannot resist to the impact of the society. Otherwise, they can become outcasts in the society. In such a context, the story of Louise is quite symbolic because it proves that changes that individuals can make in their life to meet social stereotypes and biases, but they cannot reveal their true self.
Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that Dubus has managed to reveal the impact of consumerism and dominant culture on individuals. Americans cannot be free in their choices. Instead, they have to obey to laws of the consumerist society, as Schor defined it, but individuals cannot go beyond boundaries imposed on them by the society. In this regard, Slater’s studies support Dubus ideas concerning the impact of the society on individuals and the inability of individuals to resist to dominant socio-cultural norms and views.
