eat me Flashcards
context
- explores a toxic and abusive relationship
- narrated from the perspective of a woman forced into gaining weight for the sexual pleasure
- power dynamic through the metaphors and food
-objectification and rebellion - agbabi often interprets themes of performance and identity influnced by her nigerian heritage and intrest in comteporary work
themes
power and control- male partner is dominant and holds power over the woman dictating her life and her her size - “ I was his jacuzzi “- “but he was my cook”, (imbalance of roles and power - “the bigger the better he’d say “ (fetishization and manipulation)
- body image and objectification -speakers body becomes a symbol of control reducing her to an object of consumption “open wide ,pour it down “ (passive) , “his pleasure to watch me swell like a forbidden fruit “(objectification and dehumanisation)
rebellion and liberation - the speakers eventful act of killing her partner reclaims her power-“ how could i not roll on top?”(climactic shift of control )”I left him there for six hours that felt like a week (liberation and freedom)
consumption and desire - the act of feeding becomes a metaphor for obsession and destructive desire .”Too fat to leave , too fat to buy a pint of full-fat milk “ (physical entrapment mirrors emotional weakness and regret)
Analysis: Introduces the controlling dynamic in the relationship. The cake symbolizes indulgence and excess, setting the tone for the power imbalance and fetishization of the speaker’s body.
“When I hit thirty, he brought me a cake”
Analysis: The color imagery contrasts innocence (white) with femininity or indulgence (pink). This juxtaposition reflects the underlying tension in their relationship: outward celebration masking darker motives.
“The icing was white but the letters were pink”
Analysis: Metaphors like “breadfruit” and “desert island” emphasize the speaker’s objectification as a source of sustenance and comfort for the man. It suggests her identity is consumed by his desires.
“His breadfruit. His desert island after shipwreck.”
Analysis: The speaker becomes a symbol of pleasure and luxury. This metaphor captures the man’s view of her as an object to fulfill his needs, dehumanizing her in the process.
“I was his Jacuzzi.”
Analysis: The speaker describes her own body in exaggerated, almost grotesque terms. The word “globe” suggests size and roundness, reinforcing themes of excess and consumption.
“I allowed him to stroke my globe of a cheek.”
Analysis: The repeated focus on physicality highlights the man’s obsession with size. The phrase “burrow inside” conveys a disturbing sense of control and dominance.
“Big girls, soft girls, girls I can burrow inside”
Analysis: This line marks a turning point, as it implies a reversal of power. The man has consumed everything, leaving nothing but himself as the final act of symbolic “consumption.”
“There was nothing else left in the house to eat”
Analysis: A pivotal moment where the speaker gains control. The physical imagery of “drowned in my flesh” signifies her overpowering him, turning his fetish against him.
“I rolled and he drowned in my flesh.”
Analysis: Reflections on childhood reveal how the speaker was shaped by societal and external perceptions of her body. The metaphor “tidal wave” suggests overwhelming force but also vulnerability, as tides are shaped by external forces.
“They said when I was a child I was a tidal wave of flesh.”
Analysis: The speaker reflects on her passive role, highlighting the lack of agency in her actions. The phrase “didn’t even taste it” underscores the emptiness of her consumption, driven by control rather than choice.
I ate, did what I was told. Didn’t even taste it.”
structure
dramatic monologue ,regular structure , aliteration and assonance, imagery in each line constant rememberence , tone and voice passive to acceptance
