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Abstract: This paper sought to analyze the portrayal of eating
disorders in four works of Young Adult fiction. Previous research
suggests that the media—primarily magazines, television, and
film—have negatively and inaccurately depicted disordered eating.
For instance, characters in the situational comedy “Starved” were
often belittled by medical professionals for their eating disorders.
Such poor portrayals deliver incongruent messages to
impressionable audiences; perpetuated stereotypes may even
encourage some to mimic these behaviors. However, a gap in the
literature reveals itself, as no study has been conducted to assess
these portrayals through fiction. Therefore, using literature
analyses, key components of characterization, plot & setting,
diction & tone, relationships, and themes/messages were analyzed
in each novel. The true obsessive nature of eating disorders was
revealed, and authors often portrayed the protagonists to be wholly
consumed by their eating disorder. Additionally, the relationships
the characters maintained—whether they be familial, platonic, or
romantic—were pivotal to the development of their illnesses.

Keywords: Eating disorder, illness, medical professionals, media, behaviors affected by the disorder

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