Vicissitudes and Vices : The Psychological Dimensions of Bridget’s Vices in Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary (1996) and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (1999)

Abstract

This thesis studies the psychological dimensions of Bridget’s vices in Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary (1996) and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (1999) by analysing how the imbalance of Bridget’s psychic apparatus affects her substance use. The aim of this thesis is to establish how Bridget’s dominative id has taken control over her ego and superego and thus acts as a driving force behind her excessive smoking and drinking. In addition to analysing the complicated interactions within Bridget’s psychic apparatus, this thesis also considers social phenomena as factors contributing to her behaviour. This study relies on Sigmund Freud’s theories regarding the psychic apparatus and anxiety, which provide the psychological framework through which Bridget’s substance use is assessed. Along with psychological works, the examination of Bridget’s behaviour in this thesis considers the influence of contemporary social and cultural phenomena. For example, considering Bridget’s behaviour from the perspective of ladette culture highlights the social and cultural dimensions of her actions. The analysis reveals that Bridget’s use of vices increases when she is experiencing stress or anxiety, which may stem from her love life or vanity. Correspondingly, her substance use decreases when she is content. Bridget also abstains from her vices for social reasons, which proves that her id has not totally subjugated her ego and superego. The study concludes that Bridget’s excessive drinking and smoking are a result of the combination of her anxious and addicted personality and her surrounding circumstances.