Dita Ayu Astari Darwin
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Bridget Jones’ Diary as an Epistolary Novel
Fielding's Bridget Jones 'Diary takes the epistolary novel to the digital age by introducing digital communication to the genre which transforms interpersonal relations. By plotting using the digital communication, I argued that a logical point of view I labelled “Myopia” affects the focalizer point of view. By using e-mail and text message, the relationship between Bridget and Daniel becomes more private notwithstanding the fact that they are in the different room in their office, seems like there is a private connection between them although there are a lot of people working in the same building, same office, and same floor. Nobody knows what they are talking about in e-mail and they don’t know what happen around the office during the e-mailing. It is ironic because Bridget and Daniel and the other workers are in the same building, same office, and the same floor. Perhaps, Perpetua don’t know that Bridget and Her Boss, Daniel e-mailing almost every day during the work hour. It can be worse because Bridget desk is beside hers (in the end she knew it and startled). It means that because of the digital communication, the interpersonal relationship clearly seen inside the focalizer, blurred outside the focalizer. As the work of myopia disease, eyes can’t see anything when it is far and clearly seen when it is near, based on the passage:
. . . And we were off. Frantic messaging continued all week, culminating in him suggesting a date for Sunday night and me dizzyingly, euphorically, accepting. Sometimes I look around the office as we all tap away and wonder if anyone is doing any work at all.
Besides, the communication between Bridget and Daniel in work hour via e-mail and text messaging outside work hour makes both of them them as the focalizer in e-mail meanwhile Bridget is the main focalizer in her own diary. It means that, by using e-mail it is not only change the plot but also change the focalizer rapidly (from Bridget to Daniel and from Daniel to Bridget). Let’s take a look to their messages:
Message Jones
You appear to have forgotten your skirt. As
I think is made perfectly clear in your contract of employment, staffs are expected to be fully dressed at all times.
Cleave
Message Cleave
Sir, am appalled by message. Whilst skirt could reasonably be described as a little on the skimpy side (thrift being ever our watchword in editorial), consider it gross misrepresentation to describe said skirt as absent, and considering contacting union.
Jones
On the other hand, the diary is like the lens between the e-mail and the real world. It connected the focalizer to her real life with Una Alconbury, Perpetua, Her Mom and Dad, and also Mark Darcy. Perhaps that’s the reason why when Bridget sent Mark Darcy a letter, Darcy didn’t reply it. He knows that the important thing for a relationship is not how close you are privately, but how close you are personally by meeting, seeing each other (or perhaps he is very shy and nervous every time he meets some he really loves and he is afraid to reply it? Who knows!), and being a part of her diary (means that being a part of her life directly). In contrary, (perhaps) because Bridget is very nervous to see Mark Darcy, Bridget prefers to send a letter than meet him to say something. Let’s take a look at the letter and how she wrote it:
Dear Mark,
Thank you for your invitation to your ruby wedding party for Malcolm and Elaine. I would love to come.
Yours,
Bridget Jones
Hmmm…
Yours,
Bridget
or just…
Bridget
Bridget (Jones)
Right. Will just copy it out neatly and check spellings then send it.
This is a contradiction action between Mark Darcy and Bridget although they have a same feeling. Bridget confuse about how Darcy behaves in front of her and Darcy worry about Bridget’s feeling with Daniel Cleaver, his best man in his wedding and his enemy because of his affair with his ex-wife. Besides, Bridget and Darcy have no interaction except meeting in special events like Turkey Curry Buffet in New Year, his parents Ruby Wedding Party, etc. Because of that, there is a stagnation relationship between Bridget and Darcy. And the situation becomes weird because every time they meet, there is Una Alconbury always starts the conversation by bring Bridget in front of Darcy and when they have a conversation, came Natasha, Darcy’s fiancée. Perhaps it also because the another work of myopia and how it affects the relationship between Bridget and Darcy, who worry about something far away (because they cannot see it clearly) and forget something near from them but it is the essential thing, their “feeling” to each other although both of them show it obviously. She says:
'Hmmm,' said Mark thoughtfully. 'You say that, but Michael Howard's got an extremely attractive and intelligent wife. He must have some sort of hidden charms.'
'Like what, you mean?' I said, childishly, hoping he would say something about sex.
'Well . . . '
He might be a good shag, I suppose,' I supplied.
'Or a fantastically skillful potter.'
'Or a qualified aromatherapist.'
'Will you have dinner with me, Bridget?' he said abruptly, and rather crossly, as if he was going to sit me down at a table somewhere and tell me off.
'Markee!' she called again. 'What are you doing down there?'
'Last Christmas,' Mark went on hurriedly, 'I thought if my mother said the words 'Bridget Jones' just once more I would go to the Sunday People and accuse her of abusing me as a child with a bicycle pump. Then when I met you . . . and I was wearing that ridiculous diamond-patterned sweater that Una had bought me for Christmas . . . 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 or . . . '
“Mark!' yelled Natasha, heading down the stairs toward us.
'But you're going out with somebody,' I said, rather pointing out the obvious.
'I'm not anymore, actually,' he said. 'Just dinner? Sometime?'
'OK,' I whispered. 'OK.'
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