Author: Caitlin

I have just wrapped up my drafting of my research paper for the night! Right now, I am feeling pretty comfortable that with all of my quotes, secondary sources, and outro still needing to be added,  that my paper will hit the length requirement with zero issues. I also began working on this paper slowly but surely four weeks before it was due, giving me lots of time to work. I do not feel rushed at all with this paper being due Friday, May 1st. My biggest concern in my drafting is just making sure that my paper reads smoothly and flows nicely. With having three primary sources, it is a little tough to mix the stories together and it is easy to follow along. Right now, that is probably the messiest part of my paper. From my reviewers, I would like advice on how to strengthen analysis and how to make my paper read smoothly and flow nicely without separating all the writing for the stories individually. From now till Friday, I still need to add a few more quotes, my secondary sources (probably will use 4-6), my outro, works cited, and any other small touches to make my paper perfect! Since last draft, I have added my Wuthering Heights analysis, some quotes, some more new direct character comparisons, etc

So far with my first draft, I have analyzed both fashion regarding Esther and Jane Eyre in The Bell Jar and Jane Eyre. I think my analysis is pretty strong, especially since my sources are not one hundred percent fashion related, and I have worked really hard to find good and logical analysis that fits the characters. My biggest concern is how to blend all of the pieces for my stories together, and how I am going to add quotes, secondary sources, intro, outro, etc. The only thing I have right now is analysis, but I was planning on going about this paper that way from the beginning. From my peers, I would like advice on how to make my analysis stronger and how to transition all of my pieces together so my paper reads smoothly. Any areas where my classmates believe a quote is mandated, that would be an appreciated note too!  Next, I am going to draft my analysis on Wuthering Heights, then I will go back and add secondary sources, quotes, and my final touches (intro, outro, works cited, other aspects to an academic paper), and anything else I might need to do to ensure this paper meets the requirement and is the best it can be!

For this week’s class reading discussion, I am especially excited because I get to present my text! One of the pieces I picked for my final paper was Jane Eyre, and so did my friend/classmate Sam, so I got to analyze this book in ways that could benefit my story and hers. One thing that stood out to me with these readings and with me really focusing on Jane Eyre specifically this week with writing my paper, is how Jane Eyre and Esther both struggled with their fashion identities, but in completely different ways. Esther has been grandly exposed to a world of fashion which she doesn’t click with, causing her frustration. Jane is prevented from exploring her world of fashion, which frustrates her. I’m excited to see how Jane’s relationship with fashion changes as she goes throughout the story, and as she spends more time in school/around other girls. Another aspect of this week’s readings that I really liked were how Isabella’s poetry about menopause were women focused, not potential baby focused, not marriage “time fertile window” focused, but focused on the woman as they navigate this new and bittersweet change with their body. Overall I find the similarities and differences between these stories to be so broad, yet so nitty gritty at the same time, and I’m really excited to keep writing.

Regarding my drafting, things are going so far pretty good. I created my initial drafting idea after I first started my paper, and so far I am sticking with that draft. I told myself that I will start completely with The Bell Jar, and I am still working on that. After I thoroughly analyze Bell Jar, I will analyze women’s fashion/bodies in Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre too, and I will probably format the essay where each paragraph talks about how 2 or 3 books attack that specific issue regarding women’s bodies and fashion. For example, so far The Bell Jar has sections of fashion regarding jobs, relationships, assault, etc. Parts of Jane Eyre that might hypothetically feature job and fashion/body issues, will be in the same paragraph as The Bell Jar’s. These first 2 weeks of writing my paper are more broad and general ideas, while the final two weeks will be more intense, where I edit the broad material I have while then adding secondary sources and quotes. The final thing I will do to conclude my paper is then focus on intro paragraphs, outro paragraphs, topic sentences, etc. My goal going into next Monday is to have at least eight pages of material written, even if it isn’t a final 1/2way done mode.

When completing my readings for today, Ian and Demetrius’s pieces especially really stuck out to me. With Ian’s piece, I have been familiar before with some of Morrison’s work, but never this story. I was definitely caught a little off guard seeing the context and questions before reading, as I never imagined Morrison would release something supernatural or alien related, and I felt intrigued after reading the assigned excerpt to learn more about the story. The aliens, or spirits arrived when the family were able to live on their own, no longer slaves. I completely picked up that the spirit/alien is the lingering trauma of slavery that follows the speaker where she goes. The speaker wants the best life for her children, and I think seeing a mother endure this trauma and pain, while trying to provide the best for her children through supernatural symbolism was really unique and it was really well done. For Demetrius’s poetry, I noticed he told us to pay attention to the diction and fragmentations of what we were reading. I picked up some of the double meanings in lines, one that highlights strong women but also calls out misogyny. Overall, I found supernatural symbolism that was a part of this literature to be fascinating.

I decided to start my paper, before starting an outline, and then after getting a little bit of information, I could then determine how to write the entire thing. After writing a little bit for Bell Jar, I immediately knew that the clearest way for me to go about this paper was to write about one story at a time. Then go back and edit, then combine. Then add secondary sources and quotes. Then add primary source quotes. Finally, I will add my intro, outro, and works cited. I feel like right now I have a good plan in line that will work for me, and I have been writing slowly and slowly early so I am not cramming myself with a ton of writing right before this is due. However, I do not have much figured out on paper, just in my mind, so I feel like my outline that I submitted was a little underwhelming. When completing my analysis, I think it’s interesting seeing how much fashion opinions for women are altered depending on their feelings about themselves. I feel like that sentence is obvious, but the anxiety your job brings, doesn’t easily just correlate to wardrobe issues, and I feel like I am seeing this resemblance with at least Esther, as I haven’t fully gotten into my analysis writing for Jane and Catherine. I think the hardest part about outlining is putting my ideas on paper, it is simply the transition. I feel like I am in a time will tell scenario, so far my outlining is working for me, and if I need to make adjustments I absolutely will.

When reading over the assigned readings for class this Monday, there were little aspects to each one that stuck out to me. For Allyson Chloe’s I really liked the fantasy aspect of her story with aliens, and with the main character Lyra I really liked how we saw her take a confident and strong stance as independent in her school and home setting. With Kate’s readings, I thought the part where the lesbian couple was talking about the “man” and “woman” in lesbian relationships/sex, it made me wonder about that in real life too. I feel like it is often you see lesbian couples where one woman presents herself in a feminine way, while their partner represents herself in a more masculine way. I always felt like this was a topic that wasn’t really my place to even have an opinion on, because I am not lesbian, but maybe that isn’t necessarily the case, as long as straight people are respectful to wondering and even asking about these gender binaries in queer relationships. With Natalie’s reading, I focused on her question about when we see the most emotion out of Elizabeth, and I definitely would answer that with the endings of the assigned readings, where we see her talking with her family, there is comparison, and we see more of her internal monologue. Lastly, with Jazmyn’s reading, it has been years since I have discovered “The Hate U Give”, and I still cannot get over Hailey’s comment in the basketball game. Analyzing it again as an adult and seeing the racial connection, the body insecurity connection, and the grieving connection all behind that comment, makes me even more frustrated as a reader that Hailey would ever say that. 

When finding articles for my annotated bibliography, I used key words and phrases, including “women’s bodies”, “fashion”, and “women in fashion”. It wasn’t difficult finding relevant sources, and there were a good amount of options to pick from! I would say the toughest part of this assignment was making sure every annotation included everything it needed. I was surprised to find a source that focused on a dystopian alternative of women’s bodies and nudities. I wish I could find a British 1800s alternative source, but I did find sources from that time period, and I found a lot of pieces from other countries and cultures, which can bring lots of alternative lenses to my paper, adding a more accurate insight to women’s bodies in America. A lot of the sources I pick focus on similar overlapping topics, like women’s rights, patriarchy, confidence, etc. But what I also like is every source brought something new to the table as well, focusing on different cultures, different time periods, and different tonalities in speakers. I also believe these sources can add more insight to my primary sources, along with alternative lenses, adding contrasting or different perspectives that can make my paper stronger! I think these sources will add great additional insight to my paper, and I’m getting really excited to write!

One of the readings that really stuck out to me was the assigned reading for Megan. When I think of issues regarding women’s bodies, addressing eating disorders is a must, despite how triggering and sad it can be. A woman’s relationship with food almost goes hand in hand with her relationship with her body in my opinion, and I think that uncomfortable idea might be hidden by the framing of viewing meal skipping as willpower or a sign of strength, when really it is weakness to abandon your body of what it needs. I think this article including statistics and pictures also helped elevate the seriousness of the message, showing that there is nothing cute or healthy about undereating. I think the body dysmorphia image is a good visual that depicts a problem society places on women’s bodies. When society portrays that skinny is beautiful, “nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels”, it might push women who have 100% normal, healthy bodies to view theirs as fat. It’s dangerous for society to push a triple zero to be normal, and this is a topic that NEEDS to be addressed more, especially  in a time like today where ozempic is so common. Society has placed the idea of being skinny on a pedestal, but the importance is appreciating what your body does for you, how it provides for you, and life is too short to not love the body you have. It’s yours, what is there not to love about it?

For my topic, I decided to focus on women’s clothing. There’s a few reasons why I picked this, and one being how much clothing and body image have tied into my personal life. I am somebody that has been a plethora of sizes throughout my life, and the clothing designed today for thinner women compared to plus size versions show a lack in style diversity, comfort, material, etc, making it more difficult for plus size women to confidently shop and feel good in their clothes. This topic today is something personal to me, and I have learned that a size 24, 14, and 4 can all enter a dressing room, and feel a sense of discomfort, insecurity, and confusion. My paper goes back in time to analyze these issues we still see today, but in a more intense way, as society has progressed in confidence, body positivity, and judgement. I want to learn more about the progression we have made, it is easy to say society has progressed in this topic from 1800-now, but I am really excited to deep dive into these books and thoroughly grasp the progression, along with challenging myself to read in between the lines for hidden symbolisms or meanings. My readings create a good mix of similarities and differences on how fashion and clothing have affected the women in the story and their bodies/minds. The women have all lived different lives, have different feelings, different insecurities, yet they all meet in specific middles, and I am excited to discover more about them as individuals, and as a group.