This book really provides a peek into the lives of teens in America. I think we forget that the members of the adolescence sub culture come in all shapes and sizes. They have different views and an array of concerns fears which are portrayed throughout the book.
The section on The Body and Various Thoughts of Beauty distinctly reveals the thoughts of American women and men. The value the culture places on what is considered “beauty” really exhibit how materialistic Americans are. The young women who write on the topic bares her soul in an effort to gain understanding of how to and why it is so important. Amy Hunt in Sleeves writes, “I want to learn how to love myself. Not just learn how to lose this mass that is my body fat but how to love it while I have it and how to stop crying every time I return home after shopping” (7). The idea of being beautiful has a very negative effect on people who do not consider themselves as such.
As I continue to read I have the opportunity to come across the writing of Emily Knox entitled The Best Kind of Popular. The advice Knox gets from her mother really can be an inspiration to Hunt who want to know how to accept who she is. Knox mother instruct her to “Don’t try to be popular. Don’t try to be cool. Just be you, and you won’t even have to try” (83). This advice can be of benefit to all the people in the world who struggle to become someone else because society has convinced them that “beauty” is on the outside and to heck with what is on the inside.
Red 2.0
16 years ago
I completely agree with you that it is so unfortunate that people tend to fixate on the idea that looks are all that matter. As a society, we have evolved into a place how pretty you look is more important than who you are, especially during the adolescent years. It’s sad that looks are what determine people’s self worth. Part of what drives this is fashion, celebrities, and other people’s opinions. I am glad to hear that there are celebrities out there who support girls and their “true size.” I think that in order to stop this fixation with how beautiful people are we need to focus more on people’s personality and opinions.
ReplyDeleteMaggie