Bridget Jones's Diary Essay Questions

What is the significance of the "I WILL NOT" and "I WILL" lists that open Bridget Jones's Diary?

The beginning of Bridget Jones's Diary depicts Bridget creating lists of resolutions that are a symbolic reflection of her dissatisfaction with her present lifestyle and behavior. Her resolutions involve decreasing her alcohol intake, being more organized, spending less money, avoiding commitment-phobic men, refraining from gossiping, and ceasing to obsess over her boss. Additionally, she vows to enhance her career, lose weight, save money, boost her confidence, be assertive, donate to charity, exercise, and form a stable relationship with a mature adult. Although Bridget confesses at the end of the book to not adhering to most of her resolutions, she acknowledges that there has been "excellent" progress in achieving her self-improvement objectives, primarily due to her burgeoning relationship with Mark Darcy, who brings her newfound satisfaction in her life as it is.

In what ways does Bridget Jones's Diary satirize the social class to which its protagonist belongs?

Bridget Jones's Diary is a comedic novel that satirizes many middle-class social conventions. The theme is introduced when Bridget drives out of London to attend her parents' friends' Turkey Curry Buffet, an annual New Year's Day ritual where the stilted atmosphere is so dull that Bridget mistakes Mark Darcy for another middle-class bore. The theme of middle-class social conventions also arises whenever Bridget's mother corrects her diction, always reminding her to say "pardon" instead of "what." Bridget also harbors resentment towards her superior at work, Perpetua, who epitomizes middle-class snobbery by frequently discussing the property deals her successful husband is closing. But even as Bridget mocks the bourgeois preoccupations in her milieu, she cannot help but wish for the comfortable, settled-down lives she imagines she is missing out on.

Why is it significant that the novel is written in the format of a diary?

The diary format of the novel invites a sense of intimacy that enables the reader to bond with Bridget, the book's narrator, protagonist, and purported author. Through the fictional premise that Bridget is having a conversation with herself on the page, we as readers feel as though Bridget is speaking directly to us. The effect is that we are taking part in a conspiratorial exchange of secrets, as if we are catching up with a friend; this would not be possible were the novel written in the third person, as omniscient narration introduces a certain distance from a character. The format of the book also enables Bridget to present her truest, most unvarnished self, which endears Bridget to the reader, making her someone we like and root for.

Why is it significant that Daniel spends most weekends while he is dating Bridget watching cricket on television?

That Daniel prefers to remain indoors on Sundays, watching cricket games on TV, serves as a symbol of his lack of commitment to Bridget. While Bridget desires to spend quality time with her partner by indulging in activities such as picnics or brief trips to the countryside, Daniel's inclinations lie in excessive drinking and sexual activities with Bridget at night, followed by drawing the curtains and watching cricket during the day. Bridget, who feels emotionally neglected for several weeks, finally interrupts a cricket match to question Daniel about his reluctance to go away with her. Instead of addressing his behavior, Daniel evades the issue by suggesting that Bridget book a holiday which he will pay for. When Daniel's infidelity is revealed, his past lack of interest in non-sexual aspects of their relationship is shown to have been a clear indication of his lack of commitment to Bridget.

What role does the emotional immaturity of adult men play in the novel?

As one of the book's major themes, male immaturity is a significant subject in Bridget Jones's Diary. The theme arises as part of Bridget's New Year's resolutions, in which she vows to avoid falling for men who are emotionally unavailable. "Emotional fuckwittage" is the term coined by Bridget and her friends, as they often gather to bemoan the predictable conduct of the men they date. The list of offenders includes commitment-phobic men who refuse to discuss moving in together despite being in a relationship for many years and those who propose only to retract the proposal weeks later. Although Bridget hopes that her crush Daniel will be different from the men in her social circle, he turns out to be incredibly preoccupied with power-struggle mind games, only interested in Bridget when she ignores him. In contrast, Bridget's father, Tom, and Mark Darcy serve as examples of the few men in Bridget's life on whom she and others can depend.