Size 6: The Western Woman's Harem
The thematic synthesis of “Size 6: The western Woman’s Harem” by Fatema Mernissis and “The School days of and Indian Girl” by Zitkala-Sa. The theme in both essays are based on estrangement from their country by stepping outside of their comfort zone, while trying to figure out what is normal. In “Size 6: The Western Woman’s Harem”, Mernissi tells the story about a Muslim woman who went to a local store in New York looking for a skirt and received a rude awakening while she was there. In “The School Days of an Indian Girl” Zitkala-sa tells the story of a young Indian girl who takes a journey with Missionaries who are there to educate her, who then starts to make her feel left out and embarrasses on her way to the missionary and the feeling continues once she arrives. …show more content…
People look at normal different, everyone doesn’t fit the description according to others people eyes. The story begins with a woman looking for a skirt in which she couldn’t find in her size. The saleswoman that was helping her look stated you are too big. This left the woman feeling like she wasn’t beautiful and lowered her self-esteem. The woman then asked the saleswoman “I am too big compared to what?” The saleswoman then replied with “compared to a size 6”. The saleswoman then insisted that a size four to six are the normal sizes for women. The saleswoman proceeded to tell her she must go to a special store to find her size. Back in the woman’s country, she never experienced the feeling that she was too big or not normal. The woman was from a country where there is not any sizes for women clothing, everything was made by a seamstress. The woman then realized that the size 6 was just like the violent restriction that was imposed on Muslim women with the veil. However, the woman was very grateful to only have to cloth of a vail instead of being judged by her
A & P By John Updike
1078 Words | 5 PagesThe subject of women's attire has been a conversation topic for decades. From the unrealistic expectations of the clothing itself to the idealization of the "perfect" body, clothing standards have oppressed women. John Updike's short story "A&P" captures this injustice and demonstrates to the audience how this kind of judgment can affect someone. The story is told from the perspective of a 19-year-old boy and tells of his experience throughout a troubling moral situation. Readers are guided through his path to maturity and are shown the perspective of someone not yet tainted by the wrongs of beauty standards.
The Sewing Woman In Jane Anne Phillips '' Cheers'
461 Words | 2 PagesPhilips establishes the sewing woman's appearance underneath her mask of makeup as unappealing in order to contrast what an individual craves for in life to what
El-Ghobashy Stereotypes
459 Words | 2 PagesThe woman in the bikini, presumably an American, most likely believed the males of the other woman’s culture are extremely controlling. She claims that males of the other woman’s culture would go so far as to determine what the women can or cannot wear, representing a great deal of subservience. The woman fully covered, perhaps a Muslim, also has the same thoughts about the American woman. She expresses disapproval of the lack of clothes the other woman is wearing an believes that is a result of a male-dominated culture, once again. She would argue that these American women feel the need to throw themselves at men to please them because they are, seemingly, inferior and will not have support unless they earn it from the men.
The Fat Girl By Andre Dubus Analysis
954 Words | 4 PagesThe story is realistic because most girls deal with not being the unrealistic image society portrays. Moreover, this story could be used to show others who are not happy with their size to not worry about others opinions because those opinions can contribute to their unhappiness or insecurities. As I was reading, a question as to why Louise always ate in private if she was comfortable with her weight kept coming to mind. Why did Dubus make her eating chocolate in her bed at night
Vanity In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
947 Words | 4 PagesThe young girl in the story has very naive and vain characteristics. This story explores the dangers of naive vanity and rebellious behaviors of adolescent women. The young girl's behaviors are punished with a harsh consequence resulting from her naive vanity and
Female Objectification In John Updike's A & P
941 Words | 4 Pages“A&P” by John Updike is a short story expressing the issues of female objectification and degradation in society by following a young A&P employee’s views (Sammy) as they change through experiences second hand. Sammy goes from stereotyping objectifier to a form of a public defender, standing up for girls who can’t really do so for themselves. Sammy initially characterizes and describes all of the people in the store based on their looks and his initial opinion of them, rather than waiting to make judgements based on their personality, or not at all. He is very critical of looks, and is judgmental about why and how they look or act the way they do.
Sandra Cisneros Barbie-Q: A Literary Analysis
1793 Words | 8 PagesThe story tells the reader about how two girls, each owns a Barbie doll with their one outfit piece and they made a dress out of worn socks for the dolls. One Sunday, they both went to the flea market on Maxwell Street, where the dolls of the other characters in Barbie were sold with lower price as a big toy warehouse was destroyed by fire. They did not mind to buy the dolls at the flea market even though the dolls were flawed, soaked with water and smelled like ashes. Barbie is widely pictured as a successful girl, who is perfect in every way; with her beautiful face, a slim body, nice house, secured job and a handsome boyfriend which is the fancy of every girl. The story tells the reader of the expectancy for women to have this immaculate figure, ignoring the fact that each person has different body fat percentage and body mass index which may affect their sizes and weights.
Analysis Of Call My Name By Aimee Bender
813 Words | 4 PagesSome people like to attempt to control their environment by standing out. If someone wanted to influence what people looked at, they could wear a floor length dress on a subway. The woman character from the story states “Today I am wearing a maroon satin, a floor Length dress with a V back” (citation). She also goes on about how other items draw more attention to herself. At the end of the story, she even talks about how the men are pleased to awe in her appearance.
An Analysis Of Saira Shah's 'Longing To Belong'
488 Words | 2 PagesIn “Longing to Belong”, Saira Shah gives you a look into the life of a 17 year old girl longing to understand her parents heritage and trying to fit into a culture that is so much different from what she knows. Having a father who originates from Afghanistan and a mother who originates from India. Saira wants to learn the culture of her father’s afghan routes. The author feels the only way in to learning is by being betrothed into an arranged marriage. The author states that her uncle in seeing “two unmarried” daughters in the company of a chaperone visiting his home, concludes that they were sent to be married.
The Most Unreliable Narrator In The Yellow Wallpaper
905 Words | 4 PagesThe narrator is no longer able to determine the difference from reality from her illusions. Such as seeing the woman in the wallpaper move, which means that the narrator is the touch with reality and wishes to do what she wants. In addition, she also sees the woman not only in the wallpaper, but imagines that the room she is staying in used is meant to be something but in reality, it was a room to keep her. Moreover, the narrator cannot express herself because society will not allow it and is dominated by her role as a woman. People have beliefs that short stories that are deemed reliable.
Identity In Marge Piercy's Barbie Doll
730 Words | 3 PagesWith the constant fear of ridicule and discrimination, we still try and define ourselves, though we are always under the society’s scope. Marge Piercy, in her poem “Barbie Doll”, gives us a look at the influence of our surroundings and how something as innocent as a doll can trigger these insecurities. Our strive for acceptance and “perfection” can cause major emotional damage on anyone who identifies as a woman. Young girls look at these depictions of “perfect” bodies, such as a barbie doll for example, and compare themselves. In the poem “Barbie Doll”, Piercy talks about a young girl who she described as “...healthy, tested and intelligent...” (247) but, she was picked on by peers who said she had “a great big nose and fat legs.”
Analysis Of Marge Piercy's A Barbie Doll
1480 Words | 6 PagesPiercy’s “Barbie Doll” takes a sarcastic approach to backlash at society and send the reader a message about what beauty really is. In “Barbie Doll”, A Barbie doll is used to show and symbolize what society views as what a female should aspire to become “perfect”. “Barbie's unrealistic body type…busty with a tiny waist, thin thighs and long legs…is reflective of our culture's feminine ideal. Yet less than two percent of American women can ever hope to achieve such dreamy measurements.”
Short Story Barbie-Q By Sandra Cisneros
770 Words | 4 PagesEverything and everyone should be treated equal no matter what something or someone looks like. The short story Barbie-Q by Sandra Cisneros proves that. This short story is about two young girls who do not have enough money to afford everything they dream of. All they want is a new Barbie doll to play with. When the two girls get a broken or damaged doll, they do what they can to cover up the flaws that it has.
The Changeling Poem Analysis
944 Words | 4 PagesThe young innocent girl is going through a rough time in her life. She lost her brother because of the war but is too young to comprehend how people grieve in different forms. Her father, for example, is in denial and will not get over the death of his son. The transformation of the closet comes into play when the young girl is trying to seek her father’s attention because she craves his love and affection. She figures out that if she dresses up in clothes that give her features to resemble a male, then her father pays more attention to her.
The Mistress Of Spice Analysis
1776 Words | 8 PagesGovernment Arts College for Women, Thanjavur. Abstract: Identity crisis or search of identity has received an impetus in the Post-Colonial literature. Man is known as a social animal which needs some home, love of parents and friends and relatives. But when he is unhoused, he loses the sense of belongingness and thus suffers from a sense of insecurity or identity crisis. In the field of Indian English Literature, feminist or woman centered approach is the major development that deals with the experience and situation of women from the feminist consciousness.
More about Size 6: The Western Woman's Harem
A & P By John Updike
1078 Words | 5 PagesThe Sewing Woman In Jane Anne Phillips '' Cheers'
461 Words | 2 PagesEl-Ghobashy Stereotypes
459 Words | 2 PagesThe Fat Girl By Andre Dubus Analysis
954 Words | 4 PagesVanity In Where Are You Going Where Have You Been
947 Words | 4 PagesFemale Objectification In John Updike's A & P
941 Words | 4 PagesSandra Cisneros Barbie-Q: A Literary Analysis
1793 Words | 8 PagesAnalysis Of Call My Name By Aimee Bender
813 Words | 4 PagesAn Analysis Of Saira Shah's 'Longing To Belong'
488 Words | 2 PagesThe Most Unreliable Narrator In The Yellow Wallpaper
905 Words | 4 PagesIdentity In Marge Piercy's Barbie Doll
730 Words | 3 PagesAnalysis Of Marge Piercy's A Barbie Doll
1480 Words | 6 PagesShort Story Barbie-Q By Sandra Cisneros
770 Words | 4 PagesThe Changeling Poem Analysis
944 Words | 4 PagesThe Mistress Of Spice Analysis
1776 Words | 8 Pages