History Main / IJustWantToBeBeautiful

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', Candace gets this trying to become a model for "Flawless Girl" cosmetics in "[[Recap/PhineasAndFerbAttackOfTheFiftyFootSister Attack of the 50-Foot Sister]]". She was rejected as not being "beautiful enough" just because [[HeightAngst she wasn't]] [[YouMustBeThisTallToRide tall enough]], then she became [[AttackOfThe50FootWhatever gigantic]] and started [[IAmAMonster thinking of herself as a "monster"]]. At the end, [[spoiler:[[AnAesop she realizes that those fashion products only profit on the insecurities of people]] and realizes she isn't ugly at all]].

* In ''Literature/ThePictureOfDorianGray'', Dorian unwittingly makes a "pact" to remain forever young when he sees his portrait. He becomes immune to aging and body damage, and instead his portrait receives the damage (including emotional and spiritual changes). However, the story only covers about 20 years, and shouldnt account for the drastic aging the portrait undertakes, presumably the result of Dorians depravity.

* In ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat'', Angelina began life as an extremely ugly child, and grew up hating the world around her. Too poor to afford the extensive surgery that could change her looks, and cursed with an extremely keen mind that allowed her to see the injustice of her life, the young girl turned to a life of murder and crime to get the funds she needed. Eventually the adult Angelina had surgery that transformed herself into a true beauty - on the outside; on the inside she had become as callous and psychotic as they come. After her capture by the Special Corps, the Corps' psychiatrists have attempted to remove her sociopathic tendencies. It mostly worked, although they sometimes show through, especially when her family is threatened or she thinks Jim is being unfaithful.
* In Creator/BruceCoville's book ''Literature/JenniferMurdleysToad'', the lead character is a truly unattractive young girl. At one point when she was younger she saw a commercial for {{Franchise/Barbie}} on TV and started crying. Subverted at the end of the novel, when [[spoiler:Jennifer is shown a magical image in a mirror of how the witch can make her beautiful. All she has to do is hand over the magic toad. She destroys all of the mirrors, knowing she can never be that girl]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'': Princess Fiona is a very beautiful girl, however [[spoiler:she is cursed to transform into an ogre by night. She describes her ogre self as very ugly]]. Shrek himself thinks otherwise. At the end [[spoiler:she breaks the curse with a true love kiss]], however not in the way she expected: [[spoiler:she is now stuck in her ogre form]] and while she remarks [[spoiler:"I don't understand. I'm supposed to be beautiful." Shrek responds with: "But you are beautiful."]] Although she seems less bothered by [[spoiler:turning into an ogre]] and more upset by the fact that [[spoiler:princesses aren't supposed to look like that. After Shrek confesses his love to her, she doesn't care and, indeed, freaks out upon turning back to her human self in the sequel.]]

This trope comes into play when a character's quest for beauty - either achieving it or maintaining it - becomes their primary motivation or defining characteristic. For when it's a villain(ess)'s goal, see FairestOfThemAll. A FashionModel may feel this because his/her job might genuinely be at risk otherwise. More fantastical works may have characters with this motivation do at least one PhysicalAttributeSwap for the aspects that would make them more beautiful, or even an outright FreakyFridayFlip and/or GrandTheftMe on a prettier person.

This trope comes into play when a character's quest for beauty - either achieving it or maintaining it - becomes their primary motivation or defining characteristic. For when it's a villain(ess)'s goal, see FairestOfThemAll. A FashionModel may feel this because his/her job might genuinely be at risk otherwise. More fantastical works may have characters with this motivation do at least one PhysicalAttributeSwap for the aspects that would make them more beautiful.

* In''Series/NipTuck'', the main characters are two plastic surgeons, and all of their patients are shown living more fulfilling lives after their surgeries. Although it's not just purely minor imperfections that people gripe about, they also do pro bono procedures on severely disfigured individuals. But of course, it's also shown as an inherently obsessive pursuit.

* In ''Film/{{Precious}}'': [[TheWoobie Precious Jones]] (an overweight African-American girl) has a horrible life in every aspect. Her life is so bad that her only way to bear her pain is [[{{Escapism}} escaping reality]] through [[WishFulfillment fantasies]]. The poor girl's self-esteem is so down that when she looks at herself in the mirror (instead of seeing her true reflection) she fantasises that she is a beautiful white model [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/preciousfinal_6373.JPG pictured here]].
* In ''Literature/{{Narnia}}: Film/TheVoyageOfTheDawnTreader'': [[BeneathTheMask It is revealed that Lucy secretly isn't happy of her looks]] and she envies her sister Susan's beauty. She tries to use a spell found in a magic book to become the WorldsMostBeautifulWoman, but Aslan stops her. This is moreso in the book as in the film, she believes that Susan's beauty is why she was chosen to go to America and why she gets the attention of so many boys. The spell gives Lucy a WhatIf moment where she is Susan but realises for that to be possible, [[NightmareFuel she herself would never have existed]].

This trope comes into play when a character's quest for beauty - either achieving it or maintaining it - becomes their primary motivation or defining characteristic. For when it's a villain(ess)'s goal, see FairestOfThemAll. A FashionModel may feel this because his/her job might genuinely be at risk otherwise.

* Agnes Nitt from the Literature/{{Discworld}} books has some bouts of this, wishing in ''Literature/{{Maskerade}}'' that she'd been born with good looks instead of great hair, a wonderful personality, and an ability to keep a cool head in a crisis. Other times you'd get the feeling she'd be satisfied with being respected even if she's ''not'' [[{{BBW}} traditionally beautiful]].

** Later episodes indicate that this appears to be a combination of poor hygiene, average looks inherited from her father (by which we mean she's a shorter, slightly chubbier brunette Lois), being out of shape, and the occasional body defect based on RuleOfFunny. Unlike some of the mid-seasons (where two people set themselves on fire after seeing her), she is no longer considered to be horrifically ugly, just plain unattractive and unpopular, making her a target for bullying, which is unfortunately TruthInTelevision. Her brother Chris has started recieving similar characterisation.

* In ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', Candace gets this trying to become a model for "Flawless Girl" cosmetics in "Attack of the 50-Foot Sister". She was rejected as not being "beautiful enough" just because she wasn't tall enough, then she became gigantic and started thinking of herself as a "monster". At the end, [[spoiler:[[AnAesop she realizes that those fashion products only profit on the insecurities of people]] and realizes she isn't ugly at all]].