Identity

The theme of identity is perhaps the most important aspect of "The Fat Girl." Since the age of nine, when Louise began to overeat, people identify her by her weight. Her mother unsuccessfully tried to reinforce in Louise the idea that other people—particularly boys—would respond to her physical presence, not the girl inside.

Louise's most defining characteristic seems to be her habit of eating food secretly. She deems it a "ritual of deceit and pleasure," yet at the same time she realizes it was a "vice that was insular and destructive." Louise's self-perception demonstrates that by the time she is in high school, she identifies herself by what she eats and how much she weighs.

At times, Louise tries to forge an identity for herself that is not based on her weight. She acknowledges that she likes other parts of her body— her...