The protagonist in Marian Keyes' "Rachel's Holiday" expresses her inner conflict through a moment of temptation when she faces a chocolate cookie. Despite her intention to convey her disgust by refusing food, the allure of the cookie proves too strong to resist. This captures the struggle between personal desires and societal expectations, highlighting the complexity of emotions related to food and self-image.
Rachel's battle with her cravings illustrates the challenge many face in maintaining control while dealing with underlying feelings of frustration or disappointment. The chocolate cookie symbolizes both a simple pleasure and a source of internal conflict, revealing how sometimes our need for comfort can override our principles, making it difficult to stick to our resolutions.