This week, in my book, Bitter is the New Black, we are learning more and more about Jen and her way of cutting people down guiltlessly. The only thing that seems to matter to her are her money, job, and looks. Jen loves to degrade people who are not as "Up to standereds" as she is. Ever rude to those around her, during a company trip she says. "was that... was that.. Retard-y Arty? I know thats a mean nick name, but before you judge me, I challenge you to look into Arther' s empty sales funnel"(25). Jen does not care about her coworker, though he may have some challenges, she is unable to overlook them and really except he was given an opportunity to be successful in life. All Jen cares about is her job, and making more money, and if Arty is going to get in the way she expressions the opinion that he has to go.
Jen also shows her hardheadedness, and guiltless pleasure of cutting people down comes up again when her coworker Courtney is having troubles with her boyfriend. As Courtney is bawling on the plane, and confessing to Jen about her love life, Jen replies with an uncalled for cut down, she yells, "What do you expect. Acting like a whore attracts attention. They probably think your here to go on Jerry Springer"(32). This rude remark really shows how Jen enjoys cutting people down. There is no evidence of guilt and no twinge of regret in her voice. I predict that because she is such a self centered heartless person, that some experience in the near future will really knock her down, and help her to become a more caring and excepting person.
3 comments:
This book can easily relate to so many girls our age. I feel like in our society, people put others down to gain confidence and power. I see that trait in many girls our age, the number of people that gossip is enormous. Gossip is an easy way to put people down and gain power. This character seems to have a habit of cutting others down to build up her own self esteem.
The actions of this character really make me think about what might have happened in her life to cause her to take down other people so frequently. It is pretty commonly understood that for a person to be so insulting to others, they must have some need of their own to fulfill. Its possible this girl suffers from incredibly low self esteem, or possibly was hurt at a younger age and now transfers that pain onto others. I would be interested to find out how this consistent behavior of hers plays into her future as an adult in society.
I agree with Sara and Gwen, in my experience the people who are rude and degrading to others do so not because they think they are perfect or better than everyone else. But because they are unsure of themselves and are jealous of what other people have or in some cases don't have. I would guess that she doesn't feel guilt at the terrible things she says because she is so full of anger against the world, that she feels that what she says to them is deserved. Until she comes to accept herself she will not be able to let go of this anger and jealousy and become a kind, caring person.
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