11 January 2005
Obsession: Questions (Poems)
1. Would you consider the girlchild obsessed in “Barbie doll”? (I think she is forced into extreme self-consciousness, as image becomes the only characteristic, either internal or external, that matters to the rest of society. This ties into the original EQ from our first unit on individual versus community, where the individual conforms to what society deems plausible. I’m not sure whether or not to label her change caused by obsession, because obsession should come from individualistic desires whereas in this instance, she is only doing what everyone else wants her to do. Maybe, that viewpoint was there to show that the real obsession lies within our entire society.) If so, what is she obsessed with? (Community with image)
2. In “A work of artifice,” is the gardener a man simply obsessed with supremacy and superiority? Explain your view on how obsession ties in with this poem.
3. Is this obsession over work as a secretary or is there more to it? Does “My navel is a reject button” prove a statement about her existence since we are unattached at birth from our mothers by the umbilical cords (navel area)?
4. What does the last line of “Mirror” refer to? Is the mirror obsessed with truth or are people obsessed with mirrors to reflect their images?