The word “bloated” has been deployed by writers as a vivid, multifaceted descriptor in literature, serving both literal and metaphorical roles. In some contexts, it vividly captures physical disfigurement or decay—as when a character’s face is described in grotesque, swollen detail to accentuate horror or moral corruption (e.g., [1], [2], [3]). In other cases it critiques excess or indulgence, evoking images of overfed, unseemly individuals whose corpulence mirrors their conceit or degeneration (see [4], [5], [6]). Additionally, “bloated” can lend an atmospheric quality, enhancing the oppressive or uncanny tone of a scene, as when it colors descriptions of suffering or decay, imbuing the narrative with a sense of inevitable decline (e.g., [7], [8]). Thus, across genres and eras, authors have manipulated “bloated” to reflect both physical states and the inner moral or social disintegration of their characters.