I have added another column extract from India Knight as she is writing on a topic that many students find interesting. Body image issues are a popular column topic and Knight’s comments are certainly thought-provoking.
“It was reported last week, not for the first time, that girls as young as six have issues with their body image. They consider themselves to be “fat” and to have problem areas. This is, obviously, appalling, and I’m sure we are all suitably shocked. What is seldom mentioned in conjunction with this issue, though, is that those of us who are the most shocked – little girls’ loving, devoted, mothers – are also the ones directly responsible for this terrible state of affairs.
Six-year-old girls don’t – I hope – read Heat magazine or the more scurrilous internet gossip sites, of the kind that mock female celebrities’ bodies whether they are fat, thin or somewhere in between. Six-year-old girls still have their clothes bought for them by their mothers; they know nothing of fashion, other than pink and sparkly equals good, and pink and sparkly with My Little Pony equals ecstasy.
They don’t exist in the adult female world, where every woman is judged on her looks and on her body shape, most notably by other women – the great irony about all of this is that men don’t seem to care whether their love object is a size 4 or a size 14. Where, then, does little girls’ dissatisfaction with the way they look come from?
From Mummy, that’s where, and it starts very young, with the idea that some foods are so “sinful” or “naughty” that they are either banned outright or doled out as if they were incredibly precious.
If you ban the average toddler from eating chocolate, chocolate becomes the most desirable thing the toddler can think of. If you ban chocolate and tell your three-year-old that it will not only rot her teeth but also make her fat, you’re introducing the idea of weight at an age where it has no relevance whatsoever.”
Read the rest here.
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I found this column interesting to read as it is a bit of a shock that young girls from the age of six can start worrying about their body image and it can be because of their mothers own insecurities about their own body shape. “They consider themselves to be “fat” and to have problem areas.”
“..is that those of us who are the most shocked – little girls’ loving, devoted, mothers – are also the ones directly responsible for this terrible state of affairs.”
The words fat, sinful and naughty have speech marks around them to give the effect that even though the little girls may believe that but for many others it would not even enter their minds. That little girls’ are stressing about something that they didn’t have a problem with in the first place.
1. (a) What are central ideas discussed in the column?
The ideas that are discussed throughout the column centralise around the fact girls are turned to weight issues by their mothers. We generally tend to blame celebritys which is only partly right according to the columnist. Afew other topics discussed are that we turn to self destruction in order to fit in somewhere or with a particular group.
(b) Select two quotes from the column that show these ideas.
“..assisted by a culture that sometimes actively encourages such self-destruction.”
“Mummy, that’s where, and it starts very young, with the idea that some foods are so “sinful” or “naughty”..”
2. Identify five examples of interesting language features and explain their effect.
>She relates to the reader by talking about both female and male which is effective because it means her column will be read and appreciated more widely.
>She has chosen an issue that right now New Zealand is struggling with so will be helpful and informative to readers.
>She uses colloquial language to relate to readers and add humour.
>She links comments together to build on ideas which builds a stronger case.
>Cleverly mentions her book, which made me think she knows what shes talking about eg professional.
The two main ideas discussed in this column were:
That young girls around the age of 6 are worrying about their body types and watching what they eat. They think they are fat and have issues with their body image and being judged by others. It also explains that most mothers are to blame for these actions of their daughters due to them talking to other wives/mums/ladies about their diets and what they eat whilst the children are listening and taking in all of what is said.Some are also not allowing all foods to be eaten in the household by not only them but also their daughters, in which are now suffering.
two quotes: “girls as young as six have issues with their body image.They consider themselves to be “fat” and have problem areas.”
“mothers- are also the ones directly responsible for this state of affairs” “if you ban chocolate and tell your three year old that it will not only rot her teeth but also make her fat, youre introducing the idea of weight at an age where it has no relevance whatsoever.”
5 examples of interesting language features and explain their effect:
retorical questions are used to make the reader think and form their own opinion of the statement and how they would answer the question.
I statements.This helps to show that the writer is making it personal for them too and that they have been through it and also sharing their opinion.
emphasisn=ing various words using speech marks. This helps the reader to understand how the column has been written with a certain note of importance on certain words.
using a wide range of vocabulary from Mummy eg informal to conjunction and seldom etc. this attracts a different target market and is readable for all audiences.
the writer uses many dashes in the column also to break up sentences and to make you think or show a different point of view.
Thanks Hayley. A responsive comment to the column. You back up your points with really good examples that you explain clearly. 🙂
Thank you Pagan, you have written a clear response and backed up your points with examples. Well done 🙂
Elise, a detailed discussion that shows clear understanding of the column. Good to see that you back up your points with textual support.
Thankyou 🙂
The central ideas discussed in this column are the issues of parents forcing their young children to worry about weight. Knight is trying to enforce the fact that as parents we should take our weight problems away from children and allow them to grow up with their own opinions and actions on weight.
She also has strong opinions on the topic of girls harming them selves to not only look thin but to have battle scars to show their struggles.
2 Quotes:
Where, then, does little girls’ dissatisfaction with the way they look come from?
From Mummy, that’s where, and it starts very young, with the idea that some foods are so “sinful” or “naughty” that they are either banned outright or doled out as if they were incredibly precious.
For every genuinely ill young girl, there’s another one who has somehow got it into her head that it is “cool” to mooch around looking gaunt and claiming you have an eating disorder, just as for every genuine self-harmer in need of care, there is someone who hacks ineffectually at his or her arms every now and then – and then wears a sleeveless T-shirt – because some youth tribes also consider this “cool”.
5 Language Examples:
1)Colloquial Language
She uses this to make it seem like she’s writing as a teenage girl who has problems with her image. It makes her writing seem more factual.
2)Rhetorical Questions
Knight uses these to involve the readers and expecially the mothers. She puts the blame on them and attempts to make them feel guilty.
3)Strong Vocab
Knight uses harsh words such as sinful and absurd to back up her point. This has a strong impact on the reader because it shows that she believes this problem is worth fighting against and uses guilt as a way to get people on her side. She manipulates the reader.
4)I statements
She uses I statements to show that she isn’t the innocent preaching to the guilty. Knight openly admits that she has weight problems and that it is a battle but she made the effort to never involve her kids.
5)Extreme examples
Knight uses over the top examples to further emphasise her point. She uses points such as this one – you get children barely out of nappies fretting about their adorable little-girl shapes and mistaking baby podge for hideous, terrible, life-destroying fat – which is unrealistic. However it is still effective in supporting her theory.
Thankyou for your comment Sam. You express a clear point of view and back up your main ideas with good examples from the column. You have chosen effective language features to discuss. 🙂
“They consider themselves to be “fat” and to have problem areas.” One of the ideas India Knight is focussing on is that it is ridiculous for young girls of 6 years old to think they have problem areas.Their bodies have alot more years to fully develop and cannot compare themselves to a fully developed female. She also makes a point of taking the blame of these thoughts off celebrities and magazines to their mothers. These girls get the message of body image so young now because of how open adults are with conversations around their children.
“..wondering out loud about liposuction, even as a joke: all of these contribute to making little girls far more aware of adult weight issues than they should be..”.
She uses words that make the girls whining about weight so extreme that it sounds fairly pathetic to the reader. Quoting words such as naughty, sinful and cool makes the reader feel as if she was using a sarcastic tone – making the mothers actions and peoples comments seem obsurd.
A useful comment Ashley. You understand the issues presented and supply clear supporting detail. Thankyou. 🙂
1. (a) What are central ideas discussed in the column?
the central ideas discussed in the column are the weight issues and influences that the younger female generation face.they are not only influenced by the t.v and from magazines but more likely by their parents and the environment theyre brought up in.
(b) Select two quotes from the column that show these ideas.
“From Mummy, that’s where, and it starts very young, with the idea that some foods are so “sinful” or “naughty” “.
mothers/parents “If you ban chocolate and tell your three-year-old that it will not only rot her teeth but also make her fat, you’re introducing the idea of weight at an age where it has no relevance whatsoever.”
2. Identify five examples of interesting language features and explain their effect.
*she uses strong words such as ‘sinful’ and ‘naughty’ to make the reader think about the consiquences of what theyre doing,
* she has used a hot topic which right now aplies to the majority of readers and their familys. a good topic will always grab the readers attention.
*she uses colloquial language to relate to readers.
* i statements giving the reader the feeling that shes been in this situation before, we feel we can relate and that she is not just preaching
*she uses fact showing us that its not just her opinion shes getting across.
“It was reported last week, not for the first time, that girls as young as six have issues with their body image.
Thank you Lisa. A detailed and supported comment. 🙂