"The Story of Caroline Calloway & Her Ghostwriter Natalie"
Natalie Beach's thrilling recount of her relationship with Caroline was not only an exciting read, but it also ripped open the curtains, revealing a darker side to the chase for fame. Both Calloway and Beach reside in respective 'roles' throughout the journey; Calloway is the princess protagonist while Beach is the supporting side character. At the same time however, both women subvert these roles, showing just how complex our attitudes towards fame and popularity can be.
It was interesting to view the story from Natalie's point of view, who comes across as insecure regarding both her outward appearance and inner self, especially towards the beginning. She repeatedly mentions how men treat her differently compared to Caroline, and makes it overly obvious that she wants to be like Caroline herself; alluring, confident, and charming. In a way, while Natalie doesn't seem to be concerned with pursuing fame in the traditional sense (big screen presence, flashing lights, influence), she was looking to become 'famous' in another way. Natalie wants to be noticed by others the same way Caroline attracts people around her, and become polished and sophisticated enough so that she doesn't feel small around her so-called best-friend (who seems more like a rival throughout the story). Small interactions such as her talk with her professor highlights these repressed feelings of inferiority, as she is repeatedly being told that she's a sharp writer, but she's being limited "by her itinerary" (Beach 4).
Caroline is one of the most interesting characters, to the point where if this story isn't pre-faced as a real situation, one would assume that she's an entirely fictional caricature. In fact, Caroline is technically a 'fictional' person regardless; the disparity between her actual self and her celebrity persona is stunningly huge. The way she bluffs about writing a novel based off of a fake life, and then refusing to finish the manuscript even with the help of a ghostwriter feels very abnormal. Yet, if we take a closer look at Caroline's actions, we can start to see bits of her that are present in all of us. Caroline wanted to be famous, yes, but she didn't just want the illusion of fame. Caroline wanted her celebrity persona to be her actual persona, and when her reality failed to line up with the image she had projected in her mind, she was unable to accept the truth. Much like how Natalie was told that her life was limited by her writing, Caroline was informed that no one would buy her memoire if she didn't possess a fanbase or following. Essentially, both women were told that they weren't worth listening to because they weren't famous. No one would notice them, buy their life story, or fawn over them if they didn't have anything to show.
Natalie took this statement and repressed her feelings, opting instead to rely on Caroline to act as her avatar. She felt that 'fame' could be achieved if she integrated herself as an extension of Caroline, molding her celebrity image, not wanting to experience the feeling of being left behind. Similarly, Caroline relies on Natalie for her superb writing abilities, but takes matters into her own hands by crafting a false basis for herself, buying followers and likes to create the illusion that she is an important figure. Ultimately, because Caroline was searching for fame itself, rather than the material benefits that come with fame (money, etc), she essentially caused her own downfall by hiding behind a mirage.
The situation seems so outlandish, but it is a very real phenomenon that affects a lot of celebrity figures we know today. Suicide rates are especially high among those in the entertainment industry, and every time a public figure takes their own life, the masses are shocked. Why would someone who has everything end up like this? What's the reason? Yet, just like how Natalie witnessed Caroline hunched over her computer at 3am buying furniture in a craze, if we were to really look at a lot of these influencers' and celebrities' lives behind the stage, we would discover that things aren't always what they seem. Juggling their actual self with the celebrity self is a very real problem for famous figures, and oftentimes, takes a heavy toll on how they perceive themselves and the world around them.