Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Willowdean Dickson, a "self-proclaimed fat girl" from Clover City, Texas, enters a beauty pageant run by her former beauty queen mother. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, doesn't it? But why should it? Willowdean asks this exact question. Confident in her own skin, she ignores the hurtful stares and comments she has received her whole life. She knows she's big. She doesn't care. Perfection doesn't cross her mind until she kisses Bo Larson after work one night, and her whole world is flipped upside down.
Insecurities she didn't know she had, bubble to the surface after Bo, an attractive private school boy she works with, shows interest in her. His simple touch is enough to send her spiraling into a heap of self-conscious thoughts. As she grapples with these feelings with Bo and the ridicule she faces at school, Willowdean decides to enter the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant. Her all-American-beauty best friend Ellen supports her in everything, until the pageant drives a wedge between them.
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy exposes the deep-seeded judgements and prejudices against the "fat girls" and the limits they face. As my PLC group has discussed, Willowdean embodies the struggle self-image poses for adolescents. Willowdean often feels as though there is an invisible audience watching her at all times. This corresponds to Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development in which adolescents become extremely self-conscious, thinking everyone around them is focused solely on them and their actions. As Willowdean navigates the rigors of adolescence, she embarks on a journey to regain her self-confidence and prove to her mother, her town, and herself that size doesn't matter. Piaget's stages of cognitive development are evident throughout the novel and I will be documenting my connections as we finish the book!
Insecurities she didn't know she had, bubble to the surface after Bo, an attractive private school boy she works with, shows interest in her. His simple touch is enough to send her spiraling into a heap of self-conscious thoughts. As she grapples with these feelings with Bo and the ridicule she faces at school, Willowdean decides to enter the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant. Her all-American-beauty best friend Ellen supports her in everything, until the pageant drives a wedge between them.
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy exposes the deep-seeded judgements and prejudices against the "fat girls" and the limits they face. As my PLC group has discussed, Willowdean embodies the struggle self-image poses for adolescents. Willowdean often feels as though there is an invisible audience watching her at all times. This corresponds to Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development in which adolescents become extremely self-conscious, thinking everyone around them is focused solely on them and their actions. As Willowdean navigates the rigors of adolescence, she embarks on a journey to regain her self-confidence and prove to her mother, her town, and herself that size doesn't matter. Piaget's stages of cognitive development are evident throughout the novel and I will be documenting my connections as we finish the book!
Interesting and compelling topic, especially for adolescent girls. Interesting connections between theory and practice-- I encourage your group to explore additional theorists, especially women.
ReplyDeleteI found your connection to the invisible audience quite compelling. Why do you think her insecurities rose to the surface when Bo came into the picture? Do you think there would still be a divide between Willowdean and Ellen if Ellen had the same body shape as Willowdean?
ReplyDeleteThe title is not incredibly comforting, so I can see why this book is so powerful. This seems to have elements relatable to adolescents, especially the romance aspect. I like how you made the effort to connect to cognitive development.
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