A Lovely Bones: Textual Analysis

As I began to explore the deeper meanings behind various symbols and themes in the novels I read, I began to wonder why authors choose to disguise their messages, causing their readers to put forth so much extra effort just to decode what they are really trying to express. It wasn’t until I began to observe the use of more symbolism in complex novels, and until Professor Thomas C. Foster layed out why authors write what they write in How to read literature like a professor, when I really began to discover the reason for it all. Authors tend to create a theme that readers are guaranteed to be familiar with, thus, increasing the likelihood of the reader being satisfied with the outcome of the Novel.

Around 10-15% of all Americans suffer from an eating disorder. “More than 7 million women suffer from an eating disorder whereas only one million men suffer from an eating disorder” (Mirasol). In modern society, we are surrounded by media and images. Both men and women struggle to meet the expectations set forth in magazines, websites, and on television. The pressure to imitate the ideal body can lead many down unhealthy paths. Teens today face a lot more challenges which leads them to illnesses like Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge eating. Although there are a lot of similarities in this disease, the differences can also affect people differently, which means different treatments are required.

Nowadays, when people emphasis more and more on healthy lifestyles, both exercise and food intake have become a big part of the consideration. With the goals of being fit and losing weight, some people eat irregularly or do not eat at all. As a result, eating disorders seem more often on news and reports. However, some people still view it as a joke. With the increasing number of people diagnosed with eating disorders, people should raise awareness on the effects of eating disorders and treat them seriously.

Size 0.. Double 0… Sipper skinny jeans and skinnier models wearing them. It’s unavoidable that many girls and even boys are obsessed by the number that the scale shows. They starve themselves until they are completely devoured by anorexia or binge and purge till bulimia comes. Sad, but true. 21st century is ruled by eating disorders! And we finally realize how dangerous they are, hopefully not too late. There is still a chance, a second chance…is called recovery. The path these people need to walk through is not easy at all but it makes them stronger and special!

The first reason is because she tries to be something shes not. For example she has homemade clothes and chooses to say that they are of top brand material. In the text it states, “ I could act like my homemade dresses came straight out of the window of Maison Blanche.” This shows that The girl would tell other's untruthful things just to fit in because she didn't want to share that she lived in a low income area and couldn’t afford expensive clothes. She wanted to Cleanse

Women in the American society become so obsessed with the idea of being thin and looking like the magazine models that they will go to extremes in order to achieve their goal. In other words, the obsession can sometimes lead them right into an eating disorder. However, solutions to these illnesses do exist.

In longing to reach the norm many people fall victim to these detrimental illnesses. Sadly, women are more subject to these eating disorders than men, the number of men suffering from eating disorders is on the rise. Our culture puts pressure on each of its inhabitants to attain this ideal body type that is unrealistic for most people. The images that pollute television and magazines make us all feel inadequate if we don't meet the credentials of slenderness; therefore, continuing the role of our society in the development of eating disorders.

This type of behavior surrounds us in our everyday lives yet we continue to turn a blind eye. It is vital that we identify the causes of these eating disorders, in an attempt to prevent them in the future, for no girl at

In my research, I explored the world of eating disorders. I wanted to see if there was anything specifically encouraging eating disorders and if there was a way to stop it. Eating disorders affect the community greatly because often times, they go unchecked or unrecognized. As a recovered anorexic, I feel it’s very important to address this issue. It’s a very big problem that is often not addressed at all, or is seen as normal, like counting calories. I hoped to find a way to improve the way that eating disorders are viewed and explain to people about what defines an eating disorder, because many people will never know if it is not explicitly explained to them. My study’s purpose is to bring light into the dark world of eating disorders

Advertisements, magazines, and billboards come into our everyday lives without our consent. One cannot go a single day without catching even the smallest glimpse of the beautiful, thin girls that pass you as you drive on the crowded hallway and cover the shelves of grocery store registers. The images women see every day affect the way they perceive themselves, causing them mental and sometimes physical pain. Maureen Connor calls this idea to attention as an exhibition. In this paper, I will discuss Thinner Than You by Maureen Connor (1990, Stretch net over stainless steel dress rack, 60” X 16” x 8”) and how it discusses the pressures on women to be desirable in today’s society.

In the poem “Good Bones” by Maggie Smith, she asserts the world is “fifty percent terrible” (7, 12) as she realizes it is not in anybody’s favor. There are many “ill advised” (4,5) ways people partake in life-she is not to be excluded-that create a negative environment. Maggie Smith also recounts to her “thousand deliciously” (4,5) poor choices from a younger time of being carefree. She thinks of the world as being terrible because of the worry-free but sometimes irrational actions people take for personal gain or pleasure. She later notions toward the way the world tries to tear people down as she believes for “every bird” (9) there is a “stone” (9) thrown at it, attempting to knock anyone down, from self-consciousness or selfishness. The

She tried to hide it on the outside but was really hurt on the inside. For example in the text it states, “But more important,” said Ed Looper, plunking his lunch tray down, “is you can’t seem like a victim.” “I don’t seem like a victim!” Sally insisted.” “She did, though. Bad posture. Flitting eye contact. Mumbles a lot.” These examples supports the topic because it shows that Sally was really hurt and trying to make it like nothing ever happened between Booker and her. This also supports this paragraph because she changed to a very happy person in the beginning and now upset and feels like she needs to lose weight. My second example is, that she is too upset to talk to anyone around her. For example in the text it states, “ I just want to ignore those people,” she said sadly to the group. “Can you do it, though?” I asked her. She shrugged, mumbled, looked down.” This shows that the bullying really got to her and she feels like she doesn’t have anybody standing next to her to help and support her. She also feels that if she won't talk to them nothing will ever happen to her again if she doesn’t do anything and lay eye contact. In conclusion, this shows how upset Sally is in the middle of the story and shows that she doesn’t feels part of anything

Children have role models which are mostly celebrities and models. These people who they look up to, and as a society we need to stop labelling them as having the ideal perfect body (size zero} , these are people who have publicly announced that they suffer from eating disorders. Thus if we keep encouraging this deal body we are contributing to development eating disorders since they would want to be/look like them. (Hausenblas et al., 2013).

PM’s goal is to introduce the idea of eating disorders and society’s unachievable “perfect body”. This campaign will help current victims and possible victims to overcome their disorder.

In a society that discriminates against people, particularly women, who do not look slender, many people find they cannot - or think they cannot - meet society's standards through normal, healthy eating habits and often fall victim to eating disorders. Bulimia Nervosa, an example of an eating disorder that is characterized by a cycle of binge eating and purging, has become very common in our society. Although it generally affects women, men too are now coming to clinics with this kind of disease. This is not a new disorder. It can be brought on by a complex interplay of factors, which may include emotional, and personality disorders, family pressures, a possible genetic or biologic susceptibility, and a culture in which there is an