The Fat Girl A Short Story by Andre Dubis

In the short story “The Fat Girl” by Andre Dubis, the main character Louise is followed from the time she is nine years old up until she has her own child. Her mother ruins her self-confidence at a young age saying to her “you must start watching what you eat” (Dubus 320) when she was only nine years old. Her father is just about the only character in the story who accepts Louise for herself. “She’s a growing girl” (Dubus 321) he would say to her mother when she would limit Louise on what she could eat. Louise has dealt with an endless conflict of how other people feels she should look and eat. Louise is being opposed by society.
Louise’s mother is one of her biggest critics. When Louise was only nine years old her mother told her “in five years you’ll be in high school and if you’re fat the boys won’t like you; they won’t ask you out” (Dubus 320). Her mother has already convinced her at such a young age that she will be heavy if she does not eat right, “You must start watching what you eat, I can see you have my metabolism” (Dubus 320). Her mother makes her eat salads for dinner as Louise would constantly eye the pantry. Louise always sneaks food under her shirt when her mother is not paying attention and eats it outside or in the bathroom. She hides candy and snacks and eats them late at night when everyone else is sleeping. Something she would could continue to do all through high school and college. During her childhood, Louise’s mother made her daughter feel unworthy and unattractive because of her weight (Korb). If Louise’s mother would have accepted her and let her be when she was younger maybe Louise would not have grown to be so worried and concerned with what everyone thought about her weight.
Louise feels the need to b...

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... unhealthy. Everyone deserves to feel and look good just the way that they are.

Works Cited

"Overview: 'The Fat Girl'." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Michael L. LaBlanc and Ira Mark Milne. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000. Literature Resource Center. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Brent, Liz. "Overview of 'The Fat Girl'." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Michael L. LaBlanc and Ira Mark Milne. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000.Literature Resource Center. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Hardy, Sarah Madsen. "Overview of 'The Fat Girl'." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Michael L. LaBlanc and Ira Mark Milne. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000. Literature Resource Center. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Korb, Rena. "Overview of 'The Fat Girl'." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Michael L. LaBlanc and Ira Mark Milne. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000.Literature Resource Center. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.