Saturday, April 10, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Hello God Are You There It's me Margaret
This is a summative of the themes in our novel we read:
Written by Judy Blume, Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, is a novel for young adults that tells the story of Margaret, a girl who is coming of age. Blume covers a wide variety of topics relevant to girls at the pubescent age including getting her first period, purchasing her first bra, the changing relationships with peers also beginning puberty, and the personal self-discovery of religion. As the story unfolds Blume brings to light the many whimsical and funny situations that pre-teen adolescents go through on the road to reaching adulthood. While it may be Blume’s intention to help bring a sense of acceptance to readers dealing with the awkwardness of growing up, the content of this novel also indirectly touches on many socially driven themes. One of these is the concept of the Vagina Dentata; the fear of man’s consumption by woman, the idealization of the female body and the male/female gaze associated with it, the journey of self-discovery, and the affirmation of one’s personal identity. My analysis asserts that this novel, and others within its genre, could be considered stepping stones towards other literature that expose the deeper subject matter of the aforementioned themes.
The latin term Vagina Dentata meaning Toothed Vagina, “is the classic symbol for men’s fear of sex, expressing the unconscious belief that a woman may eat or castrate her partner during intercourse. It is a well known in psychiatry that both males and females fantasize of the mouth as the entranceway to the vagina. “Mouth” comes from the same root as “mother” by way of the Anglo-Saxon word muth. Vulvas have labiae, “lips” and many men have believed that behind the lips lie teeth [and reflect] a fear of being devoured, of experiencing the birth trauma in reverse. Stories of the devouring Mother are ubiquitous in myths, representing the death-fear which the male psyche often transforms into sex-fear.” (Hobby, 39) The sex-fear of the Vagina Dentata can be connected to the reinforcement of the negative stereotypes associated with the female body that our primarily patriarchal society has historically set as the norm.
“Historically, most science fiction films have reflected a decidedly male perspective. They have usually featured heterosexual male fantasies that sprang from male writers, and were envisioned by male directors, and were enacted by male actors. Female characters, who occasionally trip through this phallic prism, often serve as stereotypical models that reflect both male desires and anxieties. These vehicles utilize fantasy women and female negative sexual imagery.” (Hobby 39) Stephen King’s The Raft is a classic but inverted example of this. The monster that kills the characters is a black spot that consumes them instead of the typical phallic associations of death in slasher films; and thus the affiliation with the fear of the consuming vagina. “When asked in a 1982 interview about his greatest sexual fear, Stephen King replied, "The vagina dentata, the vagina with teeth. The story where you were making love to a woman and it just slammed shut and cut your penis off. That'd do it." (Cassuto, Repulsive Attractions) The widely published and acclaimed author, Stephen King, manifests these negative female stereotypes in his works, representing the firm connection between misogynistic portrayals in entertainment media and the perpetuation of these social norms. Euphemistic expressions like “Aunt Flow” and “A woman’s special time” veil the negativity and non-acceptance of the female body and its natural processes. This eventually trickles down to youth who are encouraged to hide, and perhaps feel ashamed of, their experiences and needs during puberty.
In the case of Are You there God? It’s me Margaret, the story develops completely opposite to the norm. It is a novel written by a woman for younger female readers who are moving towards adult/womanhood. Readers are treated to a more accepting view of the female body and thus the patriarchal veil of non-acceptance of the female body is opposed. If younger female readers learn to embrace the events tied to puberty it will lay a foundation to encourage them to discover and understand literature that touch on deeper themes, such as negative stereotyping of the female body, and how this affects them. This in turn will help to reverse and prevent the continued passive aggressive influences of the patriarchal norm as they come of age and help them grow up with a more widely accepted view of their body, femininity, and self-identity as a woman.
The negative stereotyping of the female body and “Vagina Dentata” are some of the driving factors that can lead to female non-acceptance of her body. By constantly enforcing negative stereotyping associated with the male gaze, the female gaze is forced into a constant state of non acceptance of what she sees when looking in the mirror. “The pleasure in looking at the self is dissipated by the ideal feminine “I” that hovers in the shadows of their image of self and others constructing dystopian surveillance and entrapment.” (Muller 29) In Blume’s novel Margaret is undergoing the effects of this when she examines herself in the mirror, only to discover and question why she has not undergone the changes that verify her identity as a woman. “Most consider them to be key parts of their sexual identity, as opposed to fashion accessories or mere body parts. Sixty-two percent think it's more exciting to pull off their tops than their bottoms, and 78 percent prefer the woman-on-top position because it shows off their breasts better during sex. And while it's true that a number of women pursue breast augmentation, 69 percent in our survey would never consider it.” (Zimmerman) This survey still leaves a daunting thirty one percent or almost one third of women as individuals who would consider plastic surgery to augment her social and self-identity as a woman. It is not inadmissible that something as petty as jealousy would develop between Margaret and the character Laura Danker, whose breasts resemble those of an almost grown woman, in terms of social ideals. The female gaze has almost developed into a tool of self-dissatisfaction, comparison and loathing. Margaret soon learns that her wishes to be fully developed like Laura Danker will result in surveillance by the both male and female gaze. The moral behind this is that fitting into the perfect stereotype does not always achieve the result an individual desires.
Blume reminds readers that all men and women must go through a time of physical inferiority, that its brevity will soon pass, and to accept the final transition without clinging to images of the ideal.
Physiology can only account for so much of a person’s actions, and the psychological and mental factors that occur and change in puberty also play a major thematic role in Blume’s novel. This is embodied by Margaret’s search for her own religion, perhaps a metaphor for her own womanhood, “The behaviors associated with, and the attitudes towards, menstruation are known to be closely related to the development level of the society, the cultural heritage, the socioeconomic structure of the family and the education level of the person who is menstruating.” (Cevirme 382) Margaret’s diverse family structure allows her a deep exploration of this, which ends in her deciding to be undecided about religion. Blume’s non-religious representation of Margaret’s identity affirms that it is alright to be an individual who does not fit into a predetermined category. Much like Margaret’s religion, the development of a woman and her coming of age must be determined by what she feels is comfortable, and not what society or religion feels is acceptable and appropriate. Blume’s book deals with a variety of characters from different backgrounds who all deal with this journey in different ways.
Bibliography
Hobby Teresa Reinforcing Patriarchal Myths about Gender and Power Uknown publisher, Journal of Popular Culture, Unknown Publishing date
Zimmerman M. It Takes Two, Men's Health, April 3, 2010
McClintock Pamela, Blood Brothers, Variety Magazine, Uknown Publisher, December 25,2006
Meyer, Birgit Visions of Blood, Sex and Money: Fantasy Spaces in Popular Ghanain Cinema, Visual Anthropology, Taylor Francis Group, 2003
Stockton, Sharon The self regained: cyberpunk's retreat to the imperium
Contemporary Literature, Literature Resource Center. 1995
Deleyto, Celestino The Margins of Pleasure, The female Monstrosity and Male Paranoia in Basic Instinct, Uknown Publisher, Unknown Date
Sherwin Miranda, Deconstructing the Male Gaze, Heldref Publications, 2008
Badikian Beatriz Food and Sex, Films with Ethnic Perspective, Roosevelt University, 1998
Muller Vivenne, The Dystopian Mirror and The Female Body, Social Alternatives, Uknown Publisher, 2009.
Cassuto Leonard, The Raft, Details: Imagining the Worst: Stephen King and the Representation of Women Gale Publishing, 2003
Written by Judy Blume, Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, is a novel for young adults that tells the story of Margaret, a girl who is coming of age. Blume covers a wide variety of topics relevant to girls at the pubescent age including getting her first period, purchasing her first bra, the changing relationships with peers also beginning puberty, and the personal self-discovery of religion. As the story unfolds Blume brings to light the many whimsical and funny situations that pre-teen adolescents go through on the road to reaching adulthood. While it may be Blume’s intention to help bring a sense of acceptance to readers dealing with the awkwardness of growing up, the content of this novel also indirectly touches on many socially driven themes. One of these is the concept of the Vagina Dentata; the fear of man’s consumption by woman, the idealization of the female body and the male/female gaze associated with it, the journey of self-discovery, and the affirmation of one’s personal identity. My analysis asserts that this novel, and others within its genre, could be considered stepping stones towards other literature that expose the deeper subject matter of the aforementioned themes.
The latin term Vagina Dentata meaning Toothed Vagina, “is the classic symbol for men’s fear of sex, expressing the unconscious belief that a woman may eat or castrate her partner during intercourse. It is a well known in psychiatry that both males and females fantasize of the mouth as the entranceway to the vagina. “Mouth” comes from the same root as “mother” by way of the Anglo-Saxon word muth. Vulvas have labiae, “lips” and many men have believed that behind the lips lie teeth [and reflect] a fear of being devoured, of experiencing the birth trauma in reverse. Stories of the devouring Mother are ubiquitous in myths, representing the death-fear which the male psyche often transforms into sex-fear.” (Hobby, 39) The sex-fear of the Vagina Dentata can be connected to the reinforcement of the negative stereotypes associated with the female body that our primarily patriarchal society has historically set as the norm.
“Historically, most science fiction films have reflected a decidedly male perspective. They have usually featured heterosexual male fantasies that sprang from male writers, and were envisioned by male directors, and were enacted by male actors. Female characters, who occasionally trip through this phallic prism, often serve as stereotypical models that reflect both male desires and anxieties. These vehicles utilize fantasy women and female negative sexual imagery.” (Hobby 39) Stephen King’s The Raft is a classic but inverted example of this. The monster that kills the characters is a black spot that consumes them instead of the typical phallic associations of death in slasher films; and thus the affiliation with the fear of the consuming vagina. “When asked in a 1982 interview about his greatest sexual fear, Stephen King replied, "The vagina dentata, the vagina with teeth. The story where you were making love to a woman and it just slammed shut and cut your penis off. That'd do it." (Cassuto, Repulsive Attractions) The widely published and acclaimed author, Stephen King, manifests these negative female stereotypes in his works, representing the firm connection between misogynistic portrayals in entertainment media and the perpetuation of these social norms. Euphemistic expressions like “Aunt Flow” and “A woman’s special time” veil the negativity and non-acceptance of the female body and its natural processes. This eventually trickles down to youth who are encouraged to hide, and perhaps feel ashamed of, their experiences and needs during puberty.
In the case of Are You there God? It’s me Margaret, the story develops completely opposite to the norm. It is a novel written by a woman for younger female readers who are moving towards adult/womanhood. Readers are treated to a more accepting view of the female body and thus the patriarchal veil of non-acceptance of the female body is opposed. If younger female readers learn to embrace the events tied to puberty it will lay a foundation to encourage them to discover and understand literature that touch on deeper themes, such as negative stereotyping of the female body, and how this affects them. This in turn will help to reverse and prevent the continued passive aggressive influences of the patriarchal norm as they come of age and help them grow up with a more widely accepted view of their body, femininity, and self-identity as a woman.
The negative stereotyping of the female body and “Vagina Dentata” are some of the driving factors that can lead to female non-acceptance of her body. By constantly enforcing negative stereotyping associated with the male gaze, the female gaze is forced into a constant state of non acceptance of what she sees when looking in the mirror. “The pleasure in looking at the self is dissipated by the ideal feminine “I” that hovers in the shadows of their image of self and others constructing dystopian surveillance and entrapment.” (Muller 29) In Blume’s novel Margaret is undergoing the effects of this when she examines herself in the mirror, only to discover and question why she has not undergone the changes that verify her identity as a woman. “Most consider them to be key parts of their sexual identity, as opposed to fashion accessories or mere body parts. Sixty-two percent think it's more exciting to pull off their tops than their bottoms, and 78 percent prefer the woman-on-top position because it shows off their breasts better during sex. And while it's true that a number of women pursue breast augmentation, 69 percent in our survey would never consider it.” (Zimmerman) This survey still leaves a daunting thirty one percent or almost one third of women as individuals who would consider plastic surgery to augment her social and self-identity as a woman. It is not inadmissible that something as petty as jealousy would develop between Margaret and the character Laura Danker, whose breasts resemble those of an almost grown woman, in terms of social ideals. The female gaze has almost developed into a tool of self-dissatisfaction, comparison and loathing. Margaret soon learns that her wishes to be fully developed like Laura Danker will result in surveillance by the both male and female gaze. The moral behind this is that fitting into the perfect stereotype does not always achieve the result an individual desires.
Blume reminds readers that all men and women must go through a time of physical inferiority, that its brevity will soon pass, and to accept the final transition without clinging to images of the ideal.
Physiology can only account for so much of a person’s actions, and the psychological and mental factors that occur and change in puberty also play a major thematic role in Blume’s novel. This is embodied by Margaret’s search for her own religion, perhaps a metaphor for her own womanhood, “The behaviors associated with, and the attitudes towards, menstruation are known to be closely related to the development level of the society, the cultural heritage, the socioeconomic structure of the family and the education level of the person who is menstruating.” (Cevirme 382) Margaret’s diverse family structure allows her a deep exploration of this, which ends in her deciding to be undecided about religion. Blume’s non-religious representation of Margaret’s identity affirms that it is alright to be an individual who does not fit into a predetermined category. Much like Margaret’s religion, the development of a woman and her coming of age must be determined by what she feels is comfortable, and not what society or religion feels is acceptable and appropriate. Blume’s book deals with a variety of characters from different backgrounds who all deal with this journey in different ways.
Bibliography
Hobby Teresa Reinforcing Patriarchal Myths about Gender and Power Uknown publisher, Journal of Popular Culture, Unknown Publishing date
Zimmerman M. It Takes Two, Men's Health, April 3, 2010
McClintock Pamela, Blood Brothers, Variety Magazine, Uknown Publisher, December 25,2006
Meyer, Birgit Visions of Blood, Sex and Money: Fantasy Spaces in Popular Ghanain Cinema, Visual Anthropology, Taylor Francis Group, 2003
Stockton, Sharon The self regained: cyberpunk's retreat to the imperium
Contemporary Literature, Literature Resource Center. 1995
Deleyto, Celestino The Margins of Pleasure, The female Monstrosity and Male Paranoia in Basic Instinct, Uknown Publisher, Unknown Date
Sherwin Miranda, Deconstructing the Male Gaze, Heldref Publications, 2008
Badikian Beatriz Food and Sex, Films with Ethnic Perspective, Roosevelt University, 1998
Muller Vivenne, The Dystopian Mirror and The Female Body, Social Alternatives, Uknown Publisher, 2009.
Cassuto Leonard, The Raft, Details: Imagining the Worst: Stephen King and the Representation of Women Gale Publishing, 2003
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