Bridget Jones: Everyday Inspiration…

By Liam Beard, Legends Report Contributor

Although Bridget Jones is a fictional character whose chaotic life could have been written by an eighteenth-century romance writer, she embodies the eternal hope and optimism that we all wish to be guided by. She is a woman who is relatable for many women and men who have at some point felt lonely in their lives and felt they need a partner to complete them. She acts a beacon of hope for someone like myself who can often feel loneliness and solitude and she exemplifies the ‘keep calm and carry on’ mantra when depression sets in. This world can be an intensely lonely place – we live in a hugely connected and networked society but that cannot replace the intimacy of companionship and love – and it is so easy to immerse oneself in despair and self-pity, or try to change our identities to try and become something that society expects us to be. The admirable aspect of her character is the fact that she does not change who she is to suit the upper-class, proper Mark Darcy or the expectations of her snobbish mother; she stays true to herself, makes a fool of herself and determined that happiness and fulfilment will find her and accept her – just the way she is.

Changing The Way We See Women

As well as the character becoming an inspiration for certain people, she has also helped shift old and archaic views of women as solely wives and mothers, who need a man to complete them. The latest film, released this year, illustrates how Bridget has survived and actually prospered from not being tied to a man. She has become a highly successful news producer, and maintained a fervent social life and a lust for life that is inspirational for many women. Indeed, she has paved the way for a fresh wave of feminism that demonstrates that a woman’s chance of happiness is not determined by securing a male relationship, in order to feel whole. Society’s denigration of women by using the term “spinster,” often unfavourably, has hopefully receded.

Bridget Jones’ Diary Is Something We All Need…

Bridget’s diary lets us into her innermost thoughts – it reveals how much Bridget is the embodiment of the lonely woman who carries on… by simply being her hilarious self. She says,

“Oh, God, I’m so lonely. An entire weekend stretching ahead with no one to love or have fun with. Anyway, I don’t care. I’ve got a lovely steamed ginger pudding from M&S to put in the microwave.”

Instead of hiding from her thoughts and avoiding the truth, she embraces it fully through her diary. Bridget can be melancholy and lonely, but she shrugs it off and uses her identity as a charismatic and quirky woman, to dismiss her worries and make the best of her situation. This eternal optimism is an inspiration for men and women of any age given that loneliness can touch anyone in any generation.

If you valued this article, here’s a great insight on why legends like Barack Obama keep a private journal…

Is there a fictional character who really inspires you in your life? Share in the comments below…

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