Alice Walker's Essay Beauty When The Other Dancer Is The Self

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In the essay, “Beauty When the Other Dancer is the Self,” Alice Walker shows the readers a clear visual of her character many times to reflect on how much she enjoys showing off her beauty, and how she valued her appearance with an exceptional description. As a child she describes herself as an extremely cute kid who was smart, sassy, and had an enormous amount of self confidence, and liked to stare. Until one day her brother accidentally shot her in the eye leaving her to feel unpretty. As a child before the accident she describes herself in the text as, ”Whirling happily in my starchy frock, showing off my biscuit-polished patent-leather shoes and lavender socks, tossing my head in a way that makes my ribbons bounce” (69). Walker has high confidence as she tosses her hair, and strut. …show more content…

My shoes, new T-strap patent leather, again highly biscuit-polished” (70). In the quotes it shows that Walker has great confidence and strength. She holds her head high with pride on her appearance, she gives the reader an insight on her beautiful green dress down to her leather shoes. Later after Walker’s eye was shot, her confidence went away, and her descriptions became a little more depressing and sad. She remembers, “Where the BB pellet struck there is a glob of whitish scar tissue, a hideous cataract, on my eye. Now when I stare at people-a favorite pastime, up to now-they will stare back. Not at a “cute” little girl, but at her scar” (71). Walker also expressed how she hated her eye, “That night, as I do almost every night, I abused my eye. I rant and rave at it, in front of the mirror. I plead with it to clear up before

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