My Entire Life's Story as Seen On My Mad Fat Diary
Author Rae Earl’s “My Mad Fat Teenage Diary” has been adapted into a popular British comedy-drama television series, known as My Mad Fat Diary, that debuted on E4 on January 14, 2013. The show follows Rae Earl, a 16-year-old girl, who spent four months in a psychiatric hospital. She struggles to return to reality, hiding her mental health and body image problems from her new friends, Chloe Harris, Finn Nelson, Archie, and Chop. In this blog entry, I will be coming to terms with what a few characters mean to me and how they relate to British society.
Chloe Harris is Rae’s best gal pal in the TV series. She’s pretty, skinny, and somewhat likable. Rae’s friendship with Chloe is hot and cold during the first series, but by the end, Rae sees that she would miss Chloe if anything were ever to happen to her. Chloe doesn’t seem to understand any of Rae’s physical or psychological problems and compare her somewhat insignificant problems to her own. An example of this would be when she claims to feel the same way that Rae feels when people look at her when she walks into a room. This would have to be impossible, seeing as Chloe is a skinny and attractive girl while Rae weighs sixteen and a half stone. All throughout the first series, Chloe is able to learn more about Rae’s condition and becomes more empathetic and kind about her situation. Rae struggles to be around Chloe, afraid of being compared to her “slight but curvy” body and her “gravity-defying boobs.” Although Rae is able to win over the affections of the boys in the end, she still struggles to accept the fact that anyone would choose her over Chloe.
Finn Nelson is one of Rae’s constant love interests throughout the series. Introduced as a bad boy, who knows he’s hot and takes full advantage of it, he initially seems rude and intolerable. As the series goes on, Finn’s attitude begins to change for the better. Finn defends Rae against a bunch of bullies by punching the leader, then proceeds to ask Rae if she's okay. This is when Rae decides that she truly does have feelings for Finn. They became close friends and created a crazy method of communication where they use their fingers to trace letters on each other. In the final episode of series one, Finn tells Rae that he loves her by tracing it on her back in their secret language. By the start of season two, their relationship becomes official until Rae realizes she is embarrassed for Finn to be seen around her and ends their relationship. Finn tries desperately to win her back, but Rae’s too stubborn and refuses to get back together with him.
Finally, we have Rae. After being released from a psychiatric ward, she runs into a group of kids and eventually becomes a part of their ‘gang.’ She struggles with her weight all throughout the series, and it becomes clear that she has suffered from psychological problems and an eating disorder, binging. Her therapist, Kester, attempts to help her through tough situations but knowing Rae, she’d rather handle her problems alone. As Rae’s feelings for the gang flip flop throughout the season, she is able to reflect on her sense of self and her place in the group. The two major problems for Rae in the series are these: her discovery of sex, love and friendship and her weight and physiological problems.
When Jocelyn showed me this show, it was like I’d started watching a recording of my entire life. Not that I’ve been committed to a psychiatric ward before but I have been overweight for almost my entire life. Finding people who accept you, for who you are, not to mention finding a guy who actually likes you, is pretty much the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. Rae gives me hope that there are people in the world like me. There are people in the world who are able to find happiness and peace. There are people willing to support me and love me for who I am. I mean sure, Finn is HELLA attractive but he’s also an honest guy. He care’s about Rae. He doesn’t mind being seen with her in public. He’s not embarrassed of her. That’s what I want. Someone who’s not embarrassed to be seen with me. So who knows, maybe I’ll find someone or maybe I’ll be stuck alone watching illegal British television shows for the rest of my life. Either way, as long as I'm happy, that's all that matters to me.
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