Structure

Tina Fey divides her memoir Bossypants into unnumbered, titled chapters which span the course of her life from her birth in 1970 until the book’s publishing in 2011. The title of each chapter directly reflects or relates to the contents of that chapter (for example, “That’s Don Fey” deals with Tina’s relationship and perception of her father, Don Fey). The chapters are arranged achronologically and asymmetrically, though they generally follow the arc of Tina’s life. At various points through the novel, Tina will jump back and forth in time between chapters, and sometimes within single chapters themselves. The gradual arc of Tina’s life chapters are often interspersed with chapters on relevant subjects, such as beauty and weight. Tina also includes a chapter-length prayer to God on behalf of her daughter, Alice. The memoir itself is populated with photographs of Tina, her work, and those...