“From the newsstands a dozen models smiled up at her from a dozen magazine covers, smiled in thin-faced, high-cheekboned agreement to Kessa's new discovery. They knew the secret too. They knew thin was good, thin was strong; thin was safe.”
Explore This Quote Further
Analysis of Quote by Steven Levenkron
In this quote, author Steven Levenkron highlights the societal pressure for women to be thin. The models on magazine covers are portrayed as agreeing with the idea that thinness equals strength and safety. This quote underscores the harmful messaging perpetuated by the media about body image and the unrealistic standards set for women. The emphasis on being thin as a positive attribute can contribute to the rise of eating disorders and low self-esteem among individuals who feel pressured to conform to these standards.
Modern Relevance
In Steven Levenkron's quote, the pressure for individuals, particularly women, to adhere to society's standards of thinness is highlighted. This pressure is still prevalent in modern times, with the media portraying thinness as the ultimate goal and equating it with qualities such as strength and safety. This perpetuates harmful beauty standards and can have detrimental effects on individuals' mental and physical health.
Example of Usage:
"From the newsstands a dozen models smiled up at her from a dozen magazine covers, smiled in thin-faced, high-cheekboned agreement to Kessa's new discovery. They knew the secret too. They knew thin was good, thin was strong; thin was safe.” - Steven Levenkron"
Reflection Questions:
As we consider this quote from Steven Levenkron, it prompts us to think about the societal pressures and expectations surrounding body image. Here are some reflection questions to consider:
- How do societal standards of thinness impact individuals' perceptions of themselves and their bodies?
- In what ways do media portrayals of thinness contribute to the normalization of extreme thinness as an ideal?
- How can we challenge and resist harmful messages about body image and promote a more inclusive and diverse representation of beauty in media and society?
Similar quotes
“Fat bitch," Kessa murmured as the door scraped closed behind Mrs. Stone."She meant well, Francesca. And you see, everyone thinks you're too thin.""Since when is Mrs. Stone an authority on appearance. I've heard you say a thousand times that she looks like an old hooker.""I never said anything of the sort. What I said was that she wears too much makeup and her clothes are indiscreet.""Which means she looks like an old hooker. Well, if that's the way a woman is supposed to look, I'd rather be too skinny." Kessa felt a flash of pleasure at the argument. Just let her mother try to push food into her now.”
“She'd lost two more pounds. A picture of the models she'd cut out of the magazine flashed through Kessa's mind. And the winner is... seventy-three!”
“This morning Kessa was in control again. She lifted her left breast with her right hand and pinched it hard. The girl in the mirror began to cry. Francesca Louise began to cry. Two rivers of water streamed down either side of Francesca Louise's nose. "Coward," Kessa hissed at the crying girl. "Queen Francesca Louise, queen of the cowards, queen of nothing, queen of nobody. You're finished, ended, dead." Kessa was still pinching and the girl in the mirror was still crying. "Good-bye forever, Francesca Louise.”
“Kessa ran her fingers over her stomach. Flat. But was it flat enough? Not quite. She still had some way to go. Just to be safe, she told herself. Still, it was nice the way her pelvic bones rose like sharp hills on either side of her stomach. I love bones. Bones are beautiful.”
“Kessa began to cut her meat into tiny pieces. As a whole it was unmanageable, frightening; but divided and arranged, the meat could be controlled. She cut four pieces. She'd count to four between each bite.”
“She ran her hands over her body as if to bid it good-bye. The hipbones rising from a shrunken stomach were razor-sharp. Would they be lost in a sea of fat? She counted her ribs bone by bone. Where would they go?”