The Polaroid Monologue

The first selected reading relies on second-person narration to show how girls are affected over time by societal expectations that internalize feelings of inferiority. By describing the action of the girl in second-person, the reader experiences the decline of confidence and individuality in a girl’s personality. The contrast of past and present self, told through anecdotes, emphasizes the progression of shame and degradation of self that a girl faces in society, particularly in school. The author shows that society’s treatment of girls affects their self-worth. After being called too “vicious” for having a competitive spirit, the story relays the experience of muting one’s personality to fit the desired role of girls (Findlen 3). Another incident by the

The character was illiterate and thus excluded her from others. In the beginning of the story, the shame from the daughter and others was made prevalent as the author wrote “I learned to be ashamed of my mother” (58). The shame and prejudice began to grow when the mother goes to the school to register her daughter. The mother needed and asked for help when she was filling out the forms that were required for her daughter to go to school. The author wrote “The women asks my mother what she means . . . The women still seem not to understand. ‘I can’t read it. I don’t know how to read or write,” (60) showing that the women the mother was asking for help, did not understand her question, because her ignorance of other people. Her poor understanding of the question clearly made the mother feel even more ashamed of herself. The author goes on to write “My mother looks at me, then looks away. I know almost all of her looks, but this one is brand new to me.”(61) exhibiting how the mother never felt so ashamed and embarrassed in front of her daughter. Once the woman realizes that she was on a higher “level” than the mother, she agreed to help, the author wrote “and suddenly appears happier, so much more satisfied with everything”(61). The mother was being ridiculed and humiliated by the second, as the other

Changing the characterization of Beauty: An Analysis of Madame de Beaumont's La Belle et La Bête and Daniel Barnz’s Beastly

“Girl” is a short story in which the author, Jamaica Kincaid, unofficially presents the stereotypes of girls in the mid 1900s. Kincaid includes two major characters in the story “Girl”, they are the mother and the girl. Although the daughter only asks two questions in this story, she is the major character. The mother feels like her daughter is going in the wrong direction and not making the best decisions in her life. The whole story is basically the mother telling her daughter what affects her decisions will have in the future. The mother believes that because her daughter isn’t sitting, talking, cleaning, walking or singing correctly it will lead her to a path of destruction. “Girl” is a reflection of female sexuality, the power of family, and how family can help overcome future dangers.

“We don’t like what we don’t understand, in fact it scares us,” is a disturbing, yet unfortunately (occasionally) true line from “The Mob Song” in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. While it is sung by a group of fearful townspeople, this has been known to ring true in everyday life. Thankfully, the people behind Disney’s classic, Beauty and the Beast, tried to teach a generation this lesson through the protagonist, Belle. Through her caring nature, Belle drives the movie’s theme of not judging a book by its cover.

“Girl”, a short story by Jamaica Kincaid is narrated from a girl’s point of view of her mother telling and teaching her how, in her mother’s eyes, to be the perfect lady. The story takes place in a cultural setting of the islands of Antigua where the author was raised. The title “Girl” makes us assume that this isn’t just a personal story, but a somewhat universal childhood that we all face as women and the cultural standards we all face to become the perfect lady.

“Her expression changed then, becoming fearful rather than merely pained. It was the look you get when facing a sudden and

In the very first paragraph, Oates describes Connie looking in the mirror to confirm that she is still beautiful while her mother looks on and says: “Stop Gawking at yourself. Who are you? You think you’re so pretty?” (Oates 1).

The father was in such a desperate need for money that he would have done anything to make even just a single gold piece. His daughter tried to comfort him, she even sold everything she owned just to please her father. One day the father heard a rumor that the Union general was gathering southern maidens for a hundred gold pieces each. He went to his daughter and told her she was too be given to the Union general in order to save his life. Belle, who had also heard the rumors, knew why her father wanted to give her to the general, but she was to kind and told her father she would do it to save his life.

From the time she was a little girl she had to persevere. Both her parents were considered to be handsome and gay socialite among New York society. She was a very plain, shy insecure child, who knew that she was neither pretty nor graceful and that she was a disappointment to her beautiful mother. Although she was the apple of her father’s eye, he disapproved of her being afraid and timid.

Many times throughout history it has been shown that people are shaped and molded into what society calls, “perfect people.” Jamaica Kincaid is the author of the short story titled, “Girl.” In her story there are two characters, an authoritative mother and her young daughter. Throughout the story, the mother expects so much of her daughter in various ways. She teaches her how to cook, what to wear, how to behave, and many other attributes she views to be significant for her daughter’s role in society. Kincaid elaborates the theme of how to be the “ideal,” or “flawless” woman in a society, along with being respected through the literary elements of diction, imagery, and mood.

As years go by, the mother has re-married and often feels guilty for the actions she took to ensure a better life for her daughter. Emily grows into a young child who is self-conscious about her appearance, “thin and foreign-looking at t a time when every girl was supposed to look [like a] replica of Shirley Temple” (206). Because she does not look like the others, she continues to torment herself and compares herself to other girls her age. However, as Emily becomes a young adult, her character changes from a quiet, awkward girl, to a comedic teen. Her mother now realizes what a beautiful and capable woman she has become. She has accepted her daughter’s limitations because not everyone can be successful in worldly ways. Ultimately, Emily’s mother wants to “help her to know-help make it so there is cause for her to know-that she is far more than this dress on the ironing board, helpless before the iron” (209).

All over the world Feminism is a current topic of concern and there are very few advocates who are currently fighting for gender equality. In the media men and women are attempting to use their voices to fight for equal rights and get the message across to all generations. In this paper, I will be analyzing the movie Beauty and the Beast (2017) by drawing upon the feminist theory, which will demonstrate how the main female character, Belle challenges the modern-day system of inequality and the socially constructed gender roles. I will do so by examining why Emma Watson was chosen as the leading actress, how Belle is different than the other women in her town, the modifications from the original movie, and how Belle ultimately gets to decide her destiny. I will also consider why some people may view the film as anti-feminist, which will allow for me to understand a different perspective. It is my thesis that socially constructed gender identities are negatively presented in popular culture, however actors and actresses are attempting to use their influence to make an impact and move towards equality.

Lyon”. Carter retells the well-known fairytale “Beauty and the Beast,” but her version is far from “classic.” It is a tale of self-discovery and rejection of female objectification. In the beginning of Carter’s retelling of the classic fairy tale “Beauty and the Beast,” Beauty is seen as a penniless, helpless girl, whom the rich, powerful and world-weary Beast forces to live in his house. When her father uses her as payment for his debt to the Beast she becomes an object. However, she rapidly becomes the more active, experienced, and adventurous character. Throughout the story, Beauty proves herself to be more than just a traditional fairy tale heroine, but in the beginning, she conforms to the paradigm. Just like many of Carter’s heroines, she must start within to be able to then break free from the restrictions and assumptions of patriarchal society. In the words of da Silva, “The daughter is conscious of her annihilation in the patriarchal society but she doesn’t have autonomy to overcome it.” Even though Beauty finds enjoyment in reading fairy tales while living with the Beast, it is as though despite living in a modern world with telephones and cars, Beauty wants to believe in the conventional “happily ever after.” By comparing Beauty to the immaculate snow upon which she gazes Carter emphasizes Beauty’s femininity, innocence, and virginity. By associating Beauty

She ran to the middle of whatever was still standing in her house and started to cry. She got on her knees and thought that everything that was once hers was gone in an instant. She cried and cried, until she found no more use. Then, once her eyes started to clear up, she spotted something.