Save the Cat! Writes a Novel
Page 20
But don’t let the Fool Triumphant fool you. This isn’t like an Institutionalized story in which the fool sets out to join or destroy a certain group. The fool is usually just going about their business, living their life. They’re not really looking to destroy anything. The fool’s greatest strength and superpower (even if they don’t realize it yet) is their innocence and their ability to just be themselves. The fool pokes holes and exposes the system that ridicules them by standing apart from what the system represents, thus exposing its flaws. And in the process, it’s the fool who ends up getting the last laugh.
And finally, the transmutation is the moment in the Fool Triumphant story in which the fool becomes someone else, either by accident or as a disguise. While all stories have a metaphorical transformation, stories of this genre also contain this physical transformation, a moment where the hero changes their name, puts on a disguise, dresses up, changes their mission, or becomes a new person, if only for a few pages. Jane Eyre becomes a governess, Mia Thermopolis puts on the dress and the tiara and becomes Princess Mia in The Princess Diaries, Bridget Jones quits her job as a book publicist and becomes a TV journalist in Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding.
It’s a key element in the story because it’s the moment when the establishment starts to see the hero as someone a little less foolish than they once thought. It’s the reverse of someone shedding their mask and revealing their true identity. The hero is essentially hiding their true identity in order to fool the people who have been disregarding them! But don’t worry; the transmutation mask never stays on for long, because in the end, all Fool Triumphant stories celebrate the idea that regardless of what others think of us, we are our strongest when we are ourselves.
Fool Triumphant stories resonate with readers because we’ve all been there. We’ve all had to struggle to fit in, and we’ve all, at some point in our lives, been the victim of doubt. Someone or some group has told us “You can’t do that!” But mostly, the Fool Triumphant story resonates with us because deep down, we all want to believe that one person can make a difference. We love our “foolish” heroes because they win for the underdog in all of us. And they teach us that believing in yourself is sometimes the only weapon you need.
To recap: If you’re thinking of writing a Fool Triumphant novel, make sure your story includes these three essential ingredients:
A FOOL: whose innocence is their strength and whose gentle manner makes them likely to be ignored by all but a jealous insider who knows too well.
AN ESTABLISHMENT: the people or group the fool comes up against, either within their own environment, or after being sent to a new place in which they do not fit in—at first. Either way, the mismatch promises fireworks!
A TRANSMUTATION: in which the fool becomes someone or something new, often including a name change that’s taken on either by accident or as a disguise.
Popular Fool Triumphant Novels Through Time:
Candide by Voltaire
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding (beat sheet following)
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
The Dork Diaries by Rachel Renée Russell
Wonder by R. J. Palacio
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
The Season by Jonah Lisa Dyer and Stephen Dyer
Bridget Jones’s Diary
BY: Helen Fielding
STC GENRE: Fool Triumphant
BOOK GENRE: General fiction
TOTAL PAGES: 271 (Penguin Books Paperback, 1996)
Although the classic novel on which it’s loosely based (Pride and Prejudice) is a Buddy Love story, this hilarious runaway hit by Helen Fielding falls squarely in the Fool Triumphant category. Our fool, Bridget Jones, is a thirtysomething singleton who is pitted against the establishment of “Smug Marrieds” (as she calls them) who clearly look down on single women in their thirties. But Bridget’s innocence (and thematic lesson of self-judgment) is what makes her triumphant in the end.
1. Opening Image (page 1–2)
Meet our heroine, title character, and fool—Bridget Jones, who has just started a diary. The first two pages are the “before” snapshot of Bridget, in which she lists her New Year’s resolutions. In this perfect first look at who Bridget is at the outset, we learn a lot about her flaws and the things that need fixing in her life, based on what Bridget wants to fix about herself: drink less, quit smoking, lose weight, be more confident, learn to program the VCR, and stop obsessing over not having a boyfriend. We also deduce that Bridget can be extremely self-critical, a flaw in and of itself.
But as we will soon see, by the end of the novel Bridget’s real growth comes not from the things she thinks will improve her life but from learning to be content with exactly who she is.
2. Theme Stated (page 11)
At the annual New Year’s Day turkey curry buffet (hosted by friends of Bridget’s parents), a random party guest asks Bridget, “How does a woman manage to get to your age without being married?” (page 11).
This is both a statement of the theme and an introduction to the establishment that Bridget (the disregarded fool) is up against in this novel: being a lonely singleton in a world full of Smug Marrieds.
This question also represents the pressure that 1990s London society puts on a thirtysomething woman who is not yet married, while also implying that it’s somehow Bridget’s fault that she’s single. She must be doing something wrong.
And this relates to the very lesson that Bridget must learn: self-acceptance. Bridget’s neurotic quest for self-improvement (as evidenced in the Opening Image and at the start of every diary entry) shows that she buys into the view that she must be doing something wrong. Therefore, she’s obsessed with changing herself—losing weight, quitting smoking, drinking less, buying fewer lottery tickets—all in hopes that it will help her find a boyfriend—and husband. But it’s not until she learns to accept herself and be exactly who she is—essentially defying the establishment—that she actually does find love. And the man she does end up with will love her despite all of her self-perceived faults.
3. Setup (page 4–19)
It’s January, and Bridget isn’t off to a great start with her resolutions, which tells us a lot about her as a hero: she’s constantly trying (and failing) to better herself. Although self-improvement is always a good thing and usually a goal of any good plot, the twist on Bridget as a flawed hero is that she must learn that she doesn’t have to change herself to find love. She’s perfect the way she is. And that is how she will better herself.
Oh, the irony!
In the Setup, we meet the hilarious cast of characters that make up Bridget’s A Story. First up, a neurotic and nagging mother who’s always trying to get Bridget to change so she can meet a husband (no wonder she has the theme that she has!) We then meet Bridget’s best friends: Jude, Sharon (aka “Shazzer”), and Tom. All three represent the establishment in different ways. Jude plays into the establishment, desperately clinging to a “vile” boyfriend who treats her horribly. Sharon consistently rejects the establishment by calling all men “emotional f*ckwits” and claiming that women will ultimately live in a world where men are not needed. And Tom is a twist on the establishment: he’s a single gay man, who also struggles to find eligible men to date.
We also meet Daniel Cleaver, Bridget’s boss and the “bad boy” she has a debilitating crush on. In fact, one of her New Year’s resolutions is to stay away from Daniel, but I think we’ve established by now that sticking to resolutions is not Bridget’s strong suit. As evidenced in the upcoming Catalyst.
4. B Story (page 9)
But before we reach the Catalyst, we briefly meet Mark Darcy, who will
ultimately become a love interest and the B Story character of the novel (although his role as the B Story won’t become evident until around page 87).
Just like the character in Pride and Prejudice who inspired him, Mark Darcy is immediately dismissed by Bridget as arrogant, conceited, and undatable. Little does Bridget know that Mark is more perfect for her than she thinks.
While Daniel Cleaver represents the A Story—Bridget desperately trying to change herself in order to get and keep a boyfriend—Mark represents the B Story: Bridget not even realizing that someone has fallen in love with the real her, because she was too distracted trying to be someone else.
The very fact that Mark eventually falls in love with Bridget without her even taking second notice of him just goes to show that Bridget didn’t need to struggle so hard to be the “perfect person.” She just needed to be herself.
But of course, all this doesn’t happen for a while. First things first…
5. Catalyst (page 19–20)
Bridget’s life takes an interesting turn when Daniel sends her a flirty message at work. She immediately sends a message back, and the two initiate a hilarious and sexy office flirtation via email.
6. Debate (page 20–52)
But what does it mean? That’s what Bridget (and we, the readers!) desperately want to know. And it’s also our Debate question.
What, if anything, will become of this flirtation?
Will this Cleaver chap turn out to be the future husband Bridget has been waiting (and dieting) for? Or will he turn out to be just another “emotional f*ckwit” who messes with Bridget’s heart?
The question is not so easily answered. The signs point in all different directions as Daniel asks for her phone number and then doesn’t call, then asks her on a date (for which she preps for hours!), only to stand her up.
When Daniel makes it pretty clear that he only wants Bridget for sex, Bridget turns him down. But Bridget’s Debate over Daniel doesn’t end there. The flirty messages continue, and although Bridget resolves not to engage, she does, vowing to stay “aloof” toward Daniel.
Meanwhile, Bridget’s parents are going through marital problems and Bridget continues to play the fool at dinner parties with Smug Married couples who won’t stop asking her why she’s not married.
7. Break Into 2 (page 52–53)
Bridget’s aloofness seems to work when Daniel asks her out again. They go on a date and sleep together. The Debate of what will become of this flirtation is over. Bridget has made a choice to take the relationship to the next level. But was it a mistake? Does Daniel feel the same way about her as she feels about him? This will be the back-and-forth, push-and-pull dynamic of Act 2, which is the world of Bridget Jones after sleeping with Daniel Cleaver.
8. Fun and Games (page 54–145)
The Fun and Games of this novel is Bridget struggling to create a relationship with Daniel Cleaver, who clearly doesn’t want one. Is he or is he not her boyfriend? That’s the big question that drives us to the Midpoint.
Helen Fielding does an excellent job of creating a bouncing ball narrative throughout the entirety of this novel, particularly in this beat. It’s a constant battle of “He loves me! He loves me not!” Daniel doesn’t call after they sleep together, so Bridget attempts to ignore Daniel, in hopes that he’ll come around. It seems to work when Daniel asks her to go to Prague with him. But shortly afterward he cancels the trip.
Meanwhile, Mark Darcy (B Story character) still makes sporadic appearances in the story. Although Mark is introduced originally on page 9, it isn’t until he reappears in the story on page 87 (and we get hints of the animosity between him and Daniel) that he really starts to slide into his role as the B Story character.
Also, the establishment is starting to show holes in its glossy façade. First, Bridget’s mother leaves her father, claiming that she’s fed up with being a wife. Then one of Bridget’s Smug Married friends finds out her husband has been cheating on her. These are clear examples of the downside of the establishment that Bridget is up against. Not all marriages work out. Being married is not the “end all be all” happily-ever-after that the establishment wants you to think it is.
Despite this, Bridget is still diligently trying to obtain all of her goals of self-improvement (learning about the art of Zen and attempting to achieve “inner poise”) and hopefully make Daniel her boyfriend. And it appears she’s making excellent progress! By page 90, she has hit her goal weight (only to have her friends say she looked better before), she has mostly given up cigarettes (although she’s replaced the addiction with scratch-out lottery tickets) and then, voilà! Daniel shows up at her door, drunk and professing his love. The relationship has officially begun!
But don’t get too happy for Bridget. The bouncing ball hasn’t stopped yet.
While Bridget thinks she might be pregnant, Daniel suddenly starts ignoring her again. She finds out she’s not pregnant, and Daniel asks her out again. Daniel agrees to go on a mini break with Bridget (a huge deal for her), but the mini break turns out disastrous when they bump into a girl Daniel once slept with. Bounce! Bounce! Bounce!
What will become of this relationship? Will the ball of Daniel and Bridget continue to bounce up and down forever?
We’ll soon have our answer.
9. Midpoint (page 145–153)
Bridget and Daniel are invited to a Tarts and Vicars party (Midpoint party), but Daniel has to back out at the last minute for work. So Bridget goes stag, dressed as a sexy bunny, only to find that the Tarts and Vicars theme was canceled and no one told her. Now she’s the only one dressed like a tart. (Let’s all laugh at the fool!)
A and B stories cross when Mark shows up at the party with Natasha, a posh, stuffy colleague who is clearly trying to pursue Mark. She is the jealous insider who never fails to make snide comments about Bridget whenever the opportunity arises. During the party, Mark makes his negative feelings about Daniel clear, warning Bridget to take care of herself.
Mark turns out to be right a few pages later when the false defeat hits. Bridget goes back to Daniel’s house after the party to surprise him and finds a naked woman on his rooftop balcony (Midpoint twist).
10. Bad Guys Close In (page 153–237)
After you’ve been cheated on by a boyfriend (who probably wasn’t really your boyfriend in the first place), there’s really nowhere else to go but up, right?
And up Bridget goes!
She has a great night out with her friends, who cheer her up, and then her mother gets her a new job interview—in television!
Bridget gets the job (transmutation), which is good because it means she doesn’t have to work alongside Daniel (who, by the way, is now engaged to the naked rooftop lady!). Despite a few hiccups, Bridget starts doing well at her new job.
But then Bridget gets invited to Mark Darcy’s house for his parents’ ruby wedding party, and Mark suddenly asks her out on a date! Bridget is confused. She never even gave Mark a second glance. On page 207, Mark says, “Bridget, all the other girls I know are so lacquered over. I don’t know anyone else who would fasten a bunny tail to their pants…” One of her most embarrassing foolish moments of the year, and Mark actually liked her for it! Essentially, he likes the real Bridget, not the perfected glossy version of herself she’s been trying (and failing) to be all year.
But when the date night comes, Mark seemingly stands her up. Thankfully, she’s distracted by an important job assignment: a big legal case her boss wants her to cover. It turns out Mark Darcy is the barrister for the case, and he lets her have the exclusive interview. Plus, it’s revealed that he didn’t stand her up! He was banging on her door while she was drying her hair, and he thought she stood him up. Bounce! Bounce! Bounce!
Bridget throws a dinner party that goes horribly wrong, but Mark and her best friend Jude swoop in to save the day.
Finally, finally Bridget’s
life seems to be on track!
11. All Is Lost (page 237–239)
Kaboom! Bridget’s father calls to let Bridget know that her mother and her mother’s new lover are wanted by the police. They’ve cheated a lot of people out of money on a time-share scam, and now they’re nowhere to be found.
12. Dark Night of the Soul (page 240–265)
Mark Darcy, the barrister, impressively takes action, flying to Portugal to find Bridget’s mother, and helping the police sort out the mess and bring her home.
But then Mark stops calling.
It’s December and still no word. Bridget wallows, proving that she has not yet learned the theme when, on page 250, she says, “Why? Why? Am going to be eaten by Alsatians despite all efforts to the contrary.” Despite Mark’s liking her for her, she still thinks her “failing” to better herself is the reason he’s not calling her. She’s so hard up in this Dark Night of the Soul that when Daniel calls her, drunk and blubbering, she actually rejoices and calls it a “Christmas miracle” (return to the familiar).
13. Break Into 3 (page 265)
On Christmas Day, Mark shows up at Bridget’s house after dealing with an unseemly mess with mum’s now ex-lover who’s just been arrested by the police. Mark says he wants to take Bridget out to dinner.
Bridget accepts.
14. Finale (page 265–267)
This book’s Finale is admittedly short. When the book was adapted for film, one of the biggest changes the screenwriters made was bulking up the third act by adding some extra drama and suspense (essentially adding a Five-Point Finale!).
In the novel’s Finale, Mark and Bridget have an excellent date. Mark admits that the reason he’s been absent and not calling is that he’s been busy trying to get the ex-lover of Bridget’s mother to come back to England so the police could arrest him. When Bridget asks why he did all of this for her, he responds, “Isn’t it obvious?”