Eat Me Flashcards
When I hit thirty
Pun for weigh- draws immediate attention to the idea - reflects male gaze focus
key themes/ideas of Eat Me
subversion of the male gaze that the speaker is initially complicit to
male desires eventually allow her to overpower and control
modern feminism and exploration of sexual appetite/freedom
three layers of icing; home-made,/ a candle for each stone in weight.
use of excessive description shows the overpowering nature of male temptation and desire - appears like care for her (speaker’s unaware)
they said, EAT ME. And I ate, did/ what I was told
the monosyllabic language depicts the speaker’s obliviousness to the control of men - emph by the enjambment as she accepts the orders
Didn’t even taste it.
The speaker’s lack of enjoyment and compliancy towards male orders
he could watch my broad/ belly wobble, hips judder like a juggernaut
The speaker is used as an object of male desire and gaze - almost putting on an exhibition for him
The reference to juggernaut suggests she has potential for power and damage
The bigger the better….I like/ big girls, soft girls, girls I can burrow inside
Seemingly praises her into submission as the repeated plosives reveal a sense of aggression and control of the man over the speaker’s appearance
swell like a forbidden fruit
The use of simile to an image of Adam and Eve suggests the sinful nature of male temptation - distasteful- but also foreshadows to ideas of destruction and damage of the woman
tidal wave of flesh
the potential for overwhelming power and damage - grows more and more powerful
too fat to leave, too fat to buy a pint of full-fat milk,/ too fat…too fat
Anaphora reveals how the speaker is physically restricted of power by conforming to the male gaze standards and shows her lack of control
I allowed/ I rolled/ he drowned
The repeated active verbs reveals how the speaker is now able to gain control which juxtaposes with her previous passiveness of ‘did/what I was told.’
his eyes bulging with greed
The speaker highlights how the man’s desire has led to his destruction - greed has killed him - warning
could I not roll over
the speaker’s only means of action are from her weight as its her only way of gaining power - deliberate?
may also show her excitement and sexual appetite
nothing else left in the house to eat.
may symbolise an idea of freedom associated with the woman overpowering the man
