Descriptive Essay About Shoes

Barbara Kingsolver in the personal essay “Life Without Go-Go Boots” argues that people should not feel obligated to conform to society, instead they should embrace their individuality. Kingsolver supports her claim by using chronological order and figurative language. The author takes the reader from elementary school to middle and high school and finally to college and adulthood. The author uses chronological study to show the reader how her style and yearn to be fashionable evolved as she got older and more mature. When she became an adult, Kingsolver realized that conformity was not worth sacrificing happiness and comfort. Kingsolver also incorporates hyperbole into her writing. “High fashion has the shelf like of potato salad, and when

In all honesty, to imagine myself in Jon Western’s shoes is very difficult. He was just a normal boy from North Dakota who hasn’t been exposed to raw, inhumane, and mass amounts of deaths in text and photos and is now doing this as a living. I would of taken the information with belief, but always making sure the sources are reliable. The tact I would of taken if I were Western would be emotional. I would want the superiors of action to see how life really is during this genocide and stories of the people who were affected. I would also want them to put themselves in the shoes of the victims.

In the novella, “The House on Mango Street,” by Sandra Cisneros, the symbol of shoes represents how attractive you are and how you are portrayed by society. For example, “It’s Rachel who learns to walk the best all strutted in those magic high heels. She teaches us to cross and uncross our legs, and to run like a double dutch rope, and how to walk down to the corner so that the shoes talk back to you.” (pg. 40). This quote shows how Esperanza and her friends want to act very mature and lady like, and how the shoes play a huge role in this.

“Pointe shoes, pointe shoes, pointe shoes, pointe shoes…” I kept singing, skipping up to the door. I could tell I was thoroughly annoying mom, hence her exasperated expression. She had not heard the end of my ‘finally getting pointe shoes!’ excitement.

Gladwell begins by discussing the incomprehensible recovery of then-terminally-uncool Hush Puppies shoes amongst a few of hipsters in Manhattan’s cutting-edge regions in the 1990s, a development which soon extended across the United States and lead to exponential increases in the company’s sales. Using this sensation as an introduction to the book’s methodical theme, the author states that he will recognize, dissect and give details on the mechanisms by which certain trends occur, while others fail.

The first few times you see shoes mentioned is irrelevant, but once you get to the chapter “The Family of Little Feet,” shoes begin to take on a meaning. A woman came up to Esperanza and her friends Rachel and Lucy, offering a bag of shoes which were said to be “one pair of lemon shoes and one red and one pair of dancing shoes that used to be white but were now pale blue” (40). The girls were excited by the shoes, made clear by the line “Hurray! Today we are Cinderella because our feet fit exactly” (40). They even go as far to describe them as “magic high heels” (40) while they were learning to walk in them. Soon, however, this innocence and joy get tainted once the girls go walking in the shoes, first having Mr. Benny, the grocer, say, “Them are dangerous. You girls too young to be wearing shoes like that” (41). But this didn’t faze the girls, and they continued walking. They enjoyed the attention they were getting, Esperanza even saying, “these are the best shoes. We will never go back to wearing the other

“Without appearing to, Mrs. Turpin always noticed peoples feet. The well-dressed lady had on red and grey suede shoes to match her dress. Mrs. Turpin had on her good black-patent leather pumps. The ugly girl had on Girl Scout shoes and heavy socks. The old woman had on tennis shoes and white-trashy mother had on what appeared to be bedroom slippers, black straw with gold braid threaded through them exactly what you would have expected her to have on.” (O’Connor

In The House On Mango Street , by Sandra Cisneros the symbol shoes are relevant. For example, “The old saddle shoes I wear to school, brown and white, the kind I get every September,”(pg. 47 Cisneros). This shows Esperanza is wearing a new dress, new underclothes, new socks, but the old saddle shoes. This also shows Esperanza is being laughed at for wearing old shoes, but new clothes. Another example, “I want to buy shoes just like yours, like your black ones made out of suede,”( pg. 82 Cisneros). This shows Esperanza wants to a black pair just like her mom. She wants something she cannot have so she decides to ask when she is in a better mood.

These men are forced to prostitute their wonderful musical talents for mere pocket change and pats on their backs” (79). Levee attempts to put his power on display by trying to put down others so that he can feel good about himself. When Levee’s recording session starts, he decides to show up late. Furthermore, he attempts to be flashy by purchasing a new pair of shoes that he puts on. The shoes are a symbol of power for Level. Levee was able to by the shoes with his own money and pick them out on is own accord. This works to give Levee a sense of individualism. Levee refers to his shoes with a feeling a pride because they belong to him and no one can take that away from him. While the other men believe that Levee’s shoes are flamboyant and excessive, Levee does not care because they make him feel good about himself. Levee puts his shoes on and says, “Yeah! Now I’m ready! I can play some good music now!” (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 24). In a way, the shoes are like armor for Levee, they work to protect him against those who do not which to see him prosper. The other band members don’t care about Levee’s shoes. One member, Slow Drag even steps on his shoes and does not really care that he does. However, for Levee

When you hear the word sneakers, what do you think of? For me sneakers was a word that inspired me to be great. When i think of sneakers i think of people of a high caliber. For example, i think of Raf Simmons, Lebron James, Michael Jordan, kanye, and so many more. Fortunately, there's not only one way to view sneakers. Some people may see shoes as just a shoe, but others may see it as a culture and/or a way of life. At a young age i fell in love with sneakers. At the age of 12 i probably owned over 20 pairs of sneakers. I did this because i saw sneakers in a way that others didn't. For example, Jordan sneakers aren't just Jordan sneakers to me. This is because the men in my life have made very terrible decisions. For example, there was a point

It all started with a Jumpman and a swoosh, it was more than just a shoe it was the start of a culture. What most people look at as just a shoe to protect their feet has a story behind it and a deeper meaning to me and many others than “just a pair of shoes”. Don’t put on a pair of shoes unless you know how to wear them right. For every pair I own I could explain the troubles I went through and the people I met to get each sneaker. The best feeling was opening that fresh shoe box and taking out that paper wrapping. Putting on each new pair of sneakers is like taking a breath of fresh air each pair crisp as bacon. I am one among many sneakerheads, people who love to buy, sell, trade, and collect rare shoes. There is a culture, lifestyle, and history behind sneaker collecting. Most people would think dropping hundreds if not thousands on a pair of shoes is crazy but I believe sneakers are essential.

In the text “Exposed Toes” the author, Diane Riva, reflects on her collection of shoes and how each pair has a meaning to her. She describes how each pair of shoe she owns relates to a specific memory or time period in her life. She asserts that shoes can tell stories of our lives and are not just an article of clothing that we wear on our feet. Riva goes through all the shoes she owns and explains their story and how the shoe is a part of her life. For example, she brings up her black sneakers which are worn when we works at a bar. She states, “they are constant recipients of the over-filled glass of alcohol.” From this we learn her profession and get some insight on her memories as a bartender. Riva talks about all of her shoes in this manner

He began by discussing the incomprehensible recovery of then-terminally-uncool hush puppies shoes in the midst of a few of hipsters in Manhattan’s cutting-edge regions in the 1990s, a development which soon extended across the United States and resulted to exponential increases in the company’s sales. Using this sensation as an introduction to the book’s methodical theme, the author states that he will recognize, dissect and give details on the mechanisms by which certain trends occur, while others fail.

“Where’d you find your shoes? The dumpster.”, her friends laughed, “and I thought your old shoes were bad.”, she said.

The Years between the 1950’s and 1960’s was an explosive time in fashion. The 50’s represented an out coming of the new generation. People began to gain their own personal style and appearance, influenced by films and singers (“Vintage Fashion”). Their styles incorporated leather, jeans, corduroy, and the ballet shoes for the girls. Men’s wear began to drastically change. Men would wear a leather jacket, with jeans that narrowed at the bottom, and a simple t-shirt (Peacock 210-211). This was the first time in history that jeans were not just worn by the working class but by all men (“Brief History”). The man’s lust for flesh grew during this time, so women’s skirts began to get shorter and the bikini was invented. Clothes were made to glorify the female body and emphasize every curve. It wasn’t until the Barbie doll was created in the late 50’s that young girls began to have a separate fashion from their mothers. Young girls would wear sweaters with full skirts or pants