“I was never a beautiful women, and for that reason I’ve spent most of my life suffering from the shame of falling short of an unattainable standard” (87). Mairs starts off by telling us she was never a beautiful woman. By describing herself as this, it acts as an attention getter so the readers can become more interested in the reading. By putting emphasis on the topic of society 's standards for woman allows Mairs to go into greater depth with the topic, allowing readers to gain more knowledge and understanding of what the standards are like for a woman. A sullen tone is maintained throughout this chapter as Mairs describes the society 's standards for women leaving the readers a choice on how they feel about these standards. By using logos in her essay’s, Mairs is able to further describe the effects of standards have on women, including herself by stating in her quote, she’s spent most of her life suffering from not meeting the standards set for her. The use of short and long sentences in her essays help the rhythmic flow describe what it’s really feel like to fall short of standards people have set for
Beauty is a very powerful and prominent thing. It’s what makes you get out of bed in the mornings and makes the world go round. Despite all that, there are some negatives of it as well. “The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros gives a window back in time to a point where a little girl named Esperanza grows up on the streets of Chicago. Through the numerous rapes, abusive relationships, and the absence of respect for women, Cisneros portrays a theme that beauty is a double edged sword through the characters Esperanza and Sally.
Although the central message of conformity is still upheld, it is opposite of “Eye of the Beholder” in that this society has a pre-determined set of beautiful patterns that their citizens choose from instead of being forced into one disfigured norm. Meanwhile, Marilyn states “when everyone is beautiful, no one will be because without ugliness there can be no beauty.” (Number 12 Looks Like You) emphasizing her belief that what makes something beautiful is its ability to stand out amongst others like it, and not something that can be standardized. However, it is later discovered by Marilyn that the government alters personality traits as well, to create a more cooperative and happy
Nurse Ratched’s desire for control, in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, allows her to manipulate the entire hospital ward into believing her work is for the betterment of the patients. Significantly, Nurse Ratched appears doll-like: hair in a tight bun, a neatly pressed uniform, and “too-red” lipstick (48). Traditionally, dolls, like other toys, are made to occupy the unruly minds of young children. By comparing Nurse Ratched to a child’s toy, Kesey implies she is a mere distraction to the patients from their mental impairments. While the Big Nurse may look flawless, her porcelain exterior is a mask to her true personality. Her appearance indicates a polished, helpful treatment for incoming patients, but this twisted perfection
Television programs often retain an aspect of reality in order to relate to the audience and commentate on social issues. Although both The Goldbergs and The Twilight Zone address controversial issues such as gender roles, insanity, and ethnic stereotypes, genre differentiates their approach and their audiences’ receptiveness to change. Whereas The Goldbergs, an ethnic sitcom, addresses the external world using comedic relief, The Twilight Zone, a science fiction program, delves into the human mind using imagination. Despite their common efforts to direct social change, the programs are inverse images of one another, and The Twilight Zone’s genre structure allows it to resonate more with the audience.
If you look at what influences us, most celebrities have a standard look. Their bodies are proportionate; their facial features are symmetrical, makeup to cover any imperfections, etc. This is the ideal beauty. The way we dress also contributes to how we’re judged by other people. The biggest fault to how other people see is that eventually, once you’ve heard something enough times, you start believing them. Someone could be unique, intriguing, stimulating, and have the most beautiful personality but half their body could be disfigured form burns and people judge by the first physical impression. When Grealy finishes a night of trick-or-treating and removes her mask, she states, “At home, when I tool the mask off, I felt both sad and relieved. Sad because I had felt like a pauper walking for a few brief hours in the clothes of a prince and because I had liked it so much. Relieved because I felt no connection with that kind of happiness; I didn’t deserve it and thus I shouldn’t want it.” (Page 71) Grealy had been belittled for so long on a daily basis that she believed she was nothing more than this ugly monster that doesn’t deserve love or friendship. She considered it a weakness. After reading a verse from a book called “The Prophet” she shuts it and states, “I wanted nothing to do with the world of love; I thought wanting love was a weakness to be overcome. And besides, I thought to myself, the world of
Imagine being told as a female in today’s world you must look or act a ¬¬certain way in order to be accepted. Being what you want to be is not allowed and changes have to be made in order to be included. They say “pain is beauty, and beauty is pain” as they way a woman looks today are completely different from ten or even fifty years ago. In this paper, the reader will understand the mind of a woman in today’s society and the difficulties to be not only accepted but being her own person as well. Not only has the appearance of a woman changed but also role titles and job descriptions as well. Jane Martin’s play “Beauty” shows us two different versions of the problems women are facing current while living in today’s world and taking a walk in
A defining moment is the point at which a situation is clearly seen to start to change. There were defining moments in both the stories “Roots” and “I Want to be Miss America.” These defining moments also come along with problems the characters must face. In Roots, the main issue discussed is defiance against America’s whack color game, while in I Want to be Miss America, the main issue discussed is the image of America. Understanding the difficult and confusing situations the characters face, will help in understanding their defining moments and how they relate.
There are different elements of conformity. In Ken Kesey’s novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, the male patients from the mental hospital are trying to break free from their authority figure, Nurse Ratched, and get back their individuality. Nurse Ratched is oppresses and dehumanizes the patients in order to maintain her control. When Randle McMurphy transfers to the mental hospital from a work farm, he and starts to defy Nurse Ratched’s rules once he sees how the patients are treated. Stephen Potts Author "Rebel, superman, bull goose loony: the hero as adolescent”, says what McMurphy’s role in the hospital is.“As a third stage rebel, McMurphy quickly assumes the role of bull goose loony after entering the ward and evolves from there to
The song “Pretty Hurts” was written by Beyonce Knowles. Known for her empowering anthems, she effectively connects with an audience of women with her gut wrenching ballads and unifying messages. She began her career in the girl group, Destiny’s Child, and embarked on a solo career in 2003. Since then, she has proved to be one of most famous and influential female singers of all time. In the song “Pretty Hurts” by Beyonce Knowles the speaker, a young woman who is dealing with body image issues, illustrates the idea that societal beauty standards are unattainable and harmful for young women. However, the speaker feels that women can overcome the pressure to adhere to these standards and be happy with their bodies. This message is directed toward other young women who, like her, are also affected by these detrimental beauty standards.
Baby boomers are the demographic cohort, known as the generation that makes up the substantial portion of the world’s population. Individuals born during the time of 1946 to 1964 has lived in environments where smoking lead to a detrimental impact in their later years. As the third leading cause of death, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is common among the older population. This disease is the leading cause of both morbidity and mortality. Leading to a consensus that older adults (particularly baby boomers) are at a great risk of COPD because they grew up in an era where smoking was fashionable, cigarettes were provided during the wars, and exposure to secondhand smoke was tremendous.
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” written by Joyce Carol Oates is a story about fifteen year old Connie who’s world is changed after an encounter with a stranger. Connie’s paradigm is transformed during and after this event.
A series of black and white photographs, Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Stills look similar to snapshots from 1950 B-Grade Hollywood Films. Untitled Film Still #48 seems to have spurned from a film set in the country, as indicated by the plaid skirt Sherman is wearing. Standing beneath an overcast sky, her hands behind her back, she looks vulnerable and defenceless. The dark shapes of the trees and the shadows over the road and in the background stand erect, dominating her. The vulnerability that Sherman exudes seems to indicate woman’s dependence on man, because although she seems unaware of any danger, the presence of a man in the picture would restore a sense of protection around her. This innocence is symbolised through the stark white shirt, and her light blonde hair in contrast to the dark background. Underneath the overcast sky with the looming landscape, her innocence shines like a light in the shadows, representing goodness in a dark world. A goodness that needs protection, so the wind does not blow it out. Sherman places herself so she is observed by the viewer, her face turned away from the camera, appearing unaware of the camera.