Body No Be Wood: Implications of Office Liaisons in Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

Bridget Jones’s Diary is an amusing account of a 30 something single woman with a middle level publishing job, whose obsession with her physical appearance is revealed in a “diary” in which she records her daily intake of alcohol, cigarettes and calories.

At the beginning of the year, Bridget sets herself new goals aimed at self improvement, career development and forming a mature relationship. Quite early in the year, she starts to pine for her boss, Daniel, with whom she begins to exchange lurid e-mails. Bridget enjoys being “sexually targeted” by Daniel, who subverts his role as her manager and takes full advantage of the situation, exploiting her lack of self worth. Daniel treats Bridget like an object to satisfy his pleasure, whims and caprices. He does not really regard her as a valuable asset to the organisation nor does he take into any serious consideration his role as a manager who should be responsive to her developmental needs and career progression. Bridget on the other hand is blind to Daniel’s selfishness and manipulation of her emotions until she discovers he has been unfaithful to her. Not surprisingly, their relationship becomes estranged to the extent that Bridget finds it impossible to go on working with Daniel and this makes her search for a new job.

Although Helen Fielding’s novel presents the comic side of an office liaison in which “sexploitation” is actively encouraged by the “victim.” It, however, brings to the fore issues around sexual harassment in offices where human resource management is weak or non-existent. This book raises questions on the implications of office liaisons for organisations.