A major theme of Dumplin’ is learning to find yourself beautiful, no matter what you look like, despite society’s traditional definition of “beauty.” Because Willowdean has spent her whole life in Clover City, she assumes that even more than football players and cheerleaders, the beauty queens are the ones who are the best off. Despite this, Will starts the novel self-confident despite her weight. She knows what people think of plus-sized women and curses the way they are portrayed:

I hate seeing fat girls on TV or in movies, because the only way the world seems to be okay with putting a fat person on camera is if they’re miserable with themselves or if they’re the jolly best friend. Well, I’m neither of those things (89).

Will only becomes insecure about her weight as she starts to spend time with Bo. She is convinced that Bo is going to turn his back on her when he sees people make fun of her at school. Despite his words and actions that say different, Willowdean is scared that Bo, once he touches her, will realize that she is fat and will no longer want to be with her. Will even starts to think like her mother when

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