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Crystal Leota
Professor Wills
English Composition 100
19 September 2012
Perfectly Imperfect
In today’s society, the term beauty is simply overrated. A young lady can easily pick up a
magazine or turn on the TV. only to be discouraged about the way she looks. Comparison of the
natural beauty to the “ideal beauty” showcased on TV or the magazines can drive her insane
trying to fit that image. The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf and The Pitfalls of Plastic Surgery by
Camille Paglia both discuss the effects of an ideal image on society. Wolf and Paglia argue that
the influences, such as the media and men, drive women to prefect their outward appearance by
relying on technological advances, including plastic surgery and cosmetic care. With the
standard of beauty that we live in today, women’s desire to obtain the perfect look has dominated
their individuality.
The first image I choose to focus on is an example of the exploitation of beauty. One of
Wolf’s arguments is that women’s influence comes from men. Men have the power to pressure
women to change the way they look, especially those women who want that attention from them.
“The beauty myth is not about women at all. It is about men’s institutions and institutional
power” (Wolf, 13). This image focuses on the lady’s slim, silky, light-skinned, big-breasted,
bikini body. The background with the man in the back is blurred to emphasize the lady’s
“beauty”. In other means, she “embodies it” and the man in the background “wants to possess the
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woman who embodies it” (Wolf 12). This follows the argument made by Paglia that
“Nothing…will stop the drive of the human species toward beauty and the shimmering illusion
of perfection.” It is obvious in this image that her body is “perfect” for the man’s view of beauty.
“Charles Darwin was himself unconvinced by his own explanation that “beauty” resulted
from a “sexual selection that deviated from the role of natural selection; for women to
compete with women through beauty is a reversal of the way in which natural selection
affects all other mammals. Anthropology has overturned the notion that females must be
“beautiful” to be selected to mate…” (12-13)
According to the Wolf’s argument, one of women’s main drives to their obsession of perfecting
their appearance is MEN.
The second image is an example of how the media influences Libby’s ideal image of
beauty. It emphasizes what Libby will look like as the “perfect-Barbie” by scaling Libby out to a
human sized Barbie. The scale shows the height of Libby’s natural height comparing it to
Barbie’s then molding her figure to fit Barbie’s look. Obviously, wanting that “perfect-Barbie
doll” look isn’t always the best for everyone. In this case, Libby wouldn’t come out as “perfect”
as she thought. She is perfectly imperfect. However, as Paglia states, “Mutilation is in the eye of
the beholder” (607). It is Libby’s choice to do as she pleases, however keep in mind that her
pursuit of that perfect look is influenced by the “Barbie-look” that is plastered through the media
and the economic market. The fact that Barbie is a toy given to young girls, these young girls
grows up eventually learning that this Barbie look is the perfect look of beauty.
The next image is of the well-known masterpiece called the Mona Lisa. She has
somewhat of a blank look with an enigmatic expression. Mona has a faint smile on a brightly lit
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face framed with various dark elements and texture. Observers say that no matter what position
you’re at, her eyes seem to follow. Her eyes are fixed to an extent of a silent welcoming towards
the audience. Research claims that Leonardo chooses to paint Mona Lisa with a fixed posture
with her right hand resting on her left hand to depict her as a virtuous woman and faithful wife.
The fact that she is missing her eyebrows portrays the abstract quality of her face. Even though
this image contrasts the two images emphasized above, it alludes to Paglia’s argument about
European ideal concept of beauty. As Paglia states, "In Europe, in contrast, older woman are
still considered sexy: Women are granted the dignity of accumulated experience” (Paglia 607).
Mona Lisa is historically a portrait of a European female figure that is depicted as virtuous and
shows accumulated experience. She "has a reserve or mystique because of her assumed mastery
of the esoteric arts of love” (Paglia, 607).
Although this may be true in Europe’s cultural view of beauty, their fashion magazines
beg to differ. As portrayed in the last image I chose, the cover girl does not look old at all but
rather a young, lavishing model. This magazine cover is an advertisement emphasizing Europe’s
beauty. The model’s skin is pale in order to emphasize her red lipstick while her eyes give off a
seductive look. Her skin is tight and fit rather than wrinkly and old. Her complexion is simply
perfect. Paglia’s point is overshadowed due to the fact that the European magazines emphasize
young beauty. Keep in mind that the magazine is one of the main tools of advertisements viewed
all over; therefore what is seen is what is perceived. In other words, even though Paglia argues
that old European women fit Europe’s ideal concept of beauty, European magazines fail to
portray that ideal. Therefore, European fashion images don’t really seem to reflect the European
ideal that Paglia alludes to.
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Beauty doesn’t always mean perfection and if so what is the perfect look? The ideal
concept that beauty comes in all ages and is viewed differently by culture or society is true;
however the way it is portrayed is the foundation. Yes the modern ideal concept of beauty is
usually defined with a fit body that is exaggerated promptly on the chest and the rear end but that
is because that is what we see. What is seen is perceived now a day. On magazine covers, TV
advertisements, marketing approach all exaggerate beauty to this perfection that drives women’s
desire to follow. Ultimately, women will learn that they’re perfectly imperfect, that no matter
what they do to try and fit that perfect look they’ll never be satisfied, which dominates their
individuality. “Nothing…will stop the drive of human species toward beauty and the shimmering
illusion of perfection” (Paglia 607).
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Work Cited
Paglia, Camille. “The Pitfalls of Plastic Surgery.” Harper Bazaar (May2005). Print. Rpt. in
Convergences. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2009. Print.
Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth. New York: Harper Collins, 2002. Print.
Images:
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