America Ferrera’s Monologue
SOAPSTone Analysis
In the speech “America Ferrera’s monologue from the Barbie Movie”, America
Ferrera (or Gloria) wanted both Barbie and movie goers to realize how di cult
society makes it to be a woman. By using pathos and logos she motivates them to
stop living by these contradictory ideas of what is expected of women. An example of
pathos in America’s monologue was, “You are so beautiful and so smart, it kills me
that you don’t think you’re good enough” (Ferrera). This made the audience feel seen
and appreciated, if even in the slightest. America was not only talking to Barbie, but
through her speech, she was speaking to all women and girls watching at home or in
theaters. She wanted to acknowledge and appreciate, as well as encourage further
self-appreciation in women who are taught that they are not enough. In addition,
America Ferrera e ectively used logos by using contradictory, nearly impossible, and
unfair statements such as “You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never
say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to
be thin” (Ferrera). This helped convince Barbie, and more so those watching the
movie. The audience, who is constantly being degraded by these social constructs, is
given the message to move past and not give power to sexist and wildly unrealistic
societal expectations. It empowers them to re ect on how they may live their day to
day lives, constrained by what others think of them, how they view themselves, and
what terrible things others may say about them. This connected to America Ferrera’s
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AMERICA FERRERA’S MONOLOGUE
audience because the movie’s target viewers were girls and women, and she spoke
directly to them. As Ferrera explains in her monologue, all of these male-driven
idealistic expectations of a woman are completely contradictory. Overall, America
Ferrera successfully convinced women and girls to stop living by preposterous
standards by using pathos and logos. As much as people may always strive to t this
perfect stereotype of a woman, somehow it’s always someone else (ex. Social media’s
“perfect” lives, or a celebrity’s heavenly-like world) that reaches this so-called
“perfect”. Yet, that isn’t the entire truth, and never is. The only way for someone to
achieve “perfect” is through lies, deception, and hoaxes. Thin does not equal healthy.
Perfect is not possible. You are your own person, not someone else, and no one can
change that. Next time when faced with society’s absurdly grotesque visions of who
you should be, let America Ferrera and Barbie remind you that you’re enough as you
are, and you were not made to conform to anyone’s idea of you but your own.
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AMERICA FERRERA’S MONOLOGUE