Beauty Standards, Social Privilege, and Self-Compassion in Jennifer Weiner’s Big Summer: A Feminist Literary Analysis

Abstract

This study examines the representation of beauty standards in Jennifer Weiner’s Big Summer and their impact on the protagonist’s social experiences and psychological well-being. The novel portrays how culturally constructed ideals of beauty shape social privilege, self-perception, and interpersonal relationships. This research aims to identify the forms of beauty standards represented in the novel and to analyze how the main character responds to and negotiates these pressures. Employing a qualitative approach through textual interpretation and a narrative research design, this study explores the protagonist’s lived experiences as depicted in the narrative. Nancy Etcoff’s theory in Survival of the Prettiest (1999) is used to examine cross-cultural consistency in beauty ideals, social advantages associated with attractiveness, the influence of the beauty industry, and the psychological effects of beauty norms. Additionally, Kristin Neff’s theory of self-compassion (2011) is applied to analyze the protagonist’s coping strategies, including positive self-talk, confidence-building, and self-acceptance. The findings reveal that the novel reflects dominant cultural beauty standards that confer social privilege while simultaneously generating psychological pressure. However, the protagonist’s development of self-compassion serves as a form of resistance, enabling her to challenge external validation and redefine her self-worth beyond conventional beauty norms. This study contributes to literary discussions on body image, gendered expectations, and the psychological dimensions of contemporary women’s fiction.