Do you relate to Joy’s obsession with beauty? Why do you think her brother supported her in changing her exterior self? Do you judge her for placing so much importance on her physical appearance?

Beauty is becoming an increasingly controversial topic now that social media has put photoshopped images of beautiful people at our fingertips. Do you relate to Joy’s obsession with beauty? Why do you think her brother supported her in changing her exterior self? Do you judge her for placing so much importance on her physical appearance?

Her father had made her feel inferior and "ugly." Of course she went overboard, trying to attain physical perfection to be "good enough" and acceptable. Her brother was judged not "good enough" because he was gay. He understood what drove Joy in her quest to be beautiful. I don't judge her but I was happy that she finally found real acceptance and value when she used her skills and wonderful personality to help others and not dwell on herself.

I don't relate to Joy's obsession, but I do understand it. She wanted to find beauty in herself and only stopped focusing on the exterior when she found a purpose. It would have been better if her brother had helped her find her inner beauty, but he was damaged too and not in a position to do that for her. I think we all need to find that self acceptance ourselves. Joy found it once she began helping others.

I can be a little overly concerned with how I look, but not to the extent that I’m willing to have that much work done. I understand Joy’s obsession with it somewhat, due to her father and mother.

Joy's obsession with beauty has a positive consequence - with brightening the lives of the residents at Bayview. Her choices of music was more lively than the golden oldies from their previous playlist they listened to at Bayview. The music and classes she offered drew the residents out of their shells.

I live in Southern California. If you go to LA County, there are lots of Joys with so many issues chasing them. Unfortunately, even though Joy was an extreme example, there are many people who look first to the outer person. It is sad but it is true.

I do not relate to her obsession with beauty but have known people who were. In Joy's case, it is understandable once you know her background. Her parents' criticism led her to it. Her brother, who his parents also damaged, supported her. While those of us on the outside may say he should have helped her like herself as she was, he could not see that. But Joy turned out to have a loving heart and was responsible for helping others.

Very few of us want to look old even when we are physically old. Some beauty treatments may help us, but I think it is more about having a positive attitude and a zest for living. Being physically active has helped me not look my age, but I never mind sharing my age number.

Dermatologists are increasingly treating the beauty aspects of skin, so there must be more folks who aspire to flawless beauty. Fillers for wrinkles, Juvederm, chemical peels, and laser treatments are common advertisements within the field of dermatology. No need to criticize Joy for wanting this when it’s available.

I have a difficult time relating to Joy’s obsession with beauty. With that said, I was blessed to grow up in a household where my self-confidence was encouraged and where inner beauty was emphasized over outer. It is not for me to judge Joy’s choices although I do feel sad for her.

I relate to Joy's struggle for self-acceptance and confidence because I was subjected to some of the same type of commentary as a child by a well-meaning parent who did not comprehend how destructive and soul-crushing such cruel statements can be. However, I do not relate to Joy's pursuit of plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. Her brother was also subjected to abuse by their parents. Neither of them was accepted, loved, and cherished just as they were so he was willing to help Joy find self-validation and confidence because he intimately understood her struggle. Their parents should have lost custody of the children they mistreated and failed to appreciate.

Her parents made her feel unattractive. That resulted in a complex to be more attractive, to be “good enough.”
Her brother understood what she’d gone through and encouraged her to do whatever made her feel more acceptable.

While I would not follow Joy's path to preserve or enhance what might be deemed beautiful, I do agree a lot of what has already been said in this thread. Joy wanted to feel good about herself. Until she found that purpose later in the novel, she obsessed over her appearance to fill that void