Hunger As Ideology Susan Bordo Analysis

“Hunger as Ideology” by Susan Bordo has numerous sections that deal with the same concept. She focuses on the idea of image and perception, which she describes in her brief as “reading” images. Bordo digs deep into issues of class, gender roles, and ideology. Although Bordo makes many important points throughout her essay, there are four in particular that I generally agree with and think are correct, that I will point out and elaborate on throughout my response. I will discuss the targeting of women at a young age, sexual appetite operating as a metaphor for eating pleasure, how women are never shown in the act of eating, and the concept that men eat and women prepare. As I discuss these points, I will explain issues of class, gender roles, and ideology, and the roles they play in our generation’s cultural change.

Bordo’s essay shows the way that women are constantly being bombarded with commercials. Advertisements portray the idea that you are what society envisions you being, if you don’t make a certain choice regarding to the kinds of food you eat, and the amount of food you eat. They say that if you don’t eat a certain kind of cereal, that you will be fat, or that you look unattractive eating that thick, burger, and instead, you should have some

yogurt. Bordo argues that commercials make you feel pressured by the stereotypical image of society. I have found that women are more vulnerable to these food advertisements and there is a sociological explanation of why this is true.
Since a young age, women of society have been conditioned to automatically know the difference between what is stereotypically correct through music, movies, and social media. They are constantly bombarded with information about how to “fit in” in today’s society. One of the most classic children’s movies ever, “Cinderella” even portrays an idea that coincides with the stereotypical image of society. As we are being conditioned to fit into the “norm” of society, we also get sucked into the image without realizing it. Every time you judge someone you are falling into the hands of advertisements, further spreading the idea of stereotypes. Which bring me to the next point in this essay, that advertisements have the ability to spread and influence others.
I would agree with Bordo’s idea of mass imagery, the idea that highly portrayed advertisements have the ability to spread and influence others, whether it is positive or negative, especially on young children. Because they are still learning and trying to identify themselves, they are more vulnerable to what they believe are the “expectations of society.” Bordo then connects this to the idea that these “feminine arts” are being passed down as a tradition starting from an early age, which is demoralizing future generations. However, Bordo makes it clear that this advertisement is a perfect portrayal of what is being taught and instilled in children rather than parenting styles coming into play.
In the Virginia Slim advertisement we see the perfect example of sexual appetite operating as a metaphor for eating pleasure.

The headline of the ad is “Decisions are easy. When I get into a fork in the road, I eat.” After viewing this ad, the sub thought to every idea, man or woman, is that her cool attitude toward food can be easily duplicated. With this idea, there is a relationship that is formed between sexuality roles and advertisements. From a young age, women are constantly being shaped and guided to the ideal weight of our society, which is being impersonated by women similar to the one in this advertisement. Her sexual stance, thin, short skirt, and her hand placement all show signs of sexual

intention.
As Bordo continues, she mentions a personal story that reveals the impact cultural change had on the production of advertisements. She tells the reader that when she was young, her father always asked her if she got enough to eat before she left the table. She then mentions that he was brought up in a household of immigrants, therefore his attitude reflects on economic struggle. This sentence is important because it shows the true cultural change in how society views food. She further proves her point by including that the most photographed woman in America in 1890 was known and admired for her hearty appetite. During this time period, it was viewed as a symbol of wealth to be overweight. Her argument that a cultural change, shaped by ethnic, national, historical, class, and other factors is supported by several points that I will explore.
She argues that white woman have an obsessive relationship with food compared to African American’s more accepting attitudes toward appetites. A survey of cultural attitudes would show the differences in their views toward appetites. Class, ethnicity, and nationality all play roles in impacting their views. The amount of money accessible potentially effects the way you view your appetite for the reason that, if you struggle economically, you do not have the privilege to eat as much food, or eat the quality of food that can easily be purchased by someone in a higher class on the scale. Ethnicity and nationality comes in to play because certain races on average, have a lower income than the white people of America. This produces a problem when Bordo makes the point that almost all of us who can afford to be eating well are dieting and hungry almost all of the time. Where in some ways, people of the lower class still share the same value of food as people did before our massive cultural change.
Although this is not necessarily a food advertisement, it is working in the same sense as one for the reason that, food is mentioned in the ad, but rarely actually shown being eaten, similar to most food advertisements featuring women. But Bordo explains that there is more to this ad than just the product it is trying to sell. Further supporting her idea of our cultural change, Bordo argues that this advertisement also sells the current spread of diet and exercise, aimed at the “correction” and “enhancement” of our bodies. What Bordo failed to include in her project is how our cultural change was only possible through production of technology. Advertisements have become more and more persuasive and effective due to the production of technology, making it easier to support the cultural change in our society.
There is one advertisement that is carefully analyzed in this section of Bordo’s essay, both having to do with the idea that women are rarely shown in the act of eating and if they are, the portions are limited. The first ad is a young man in the act of eating a bite of cereal with his mouth wide open, and a big smile on his face. Bordo then states her opinion on this ad saying that this same image would be considered disgusting, transgressive, and would violate deeply sedimented expectations if the role was switched to a female. In our society, women are only permitted to lust for food if they are pregnant or it is clear that they are near starvation; a woman who eats large amounts of food is now considered “manly.” A lot of the times when a woman is showed in the act of eating, the food is constructed as a sexual object of desire, which is part of the reason they keep the portions down to a minimum, and choose types of food like yogurt or some kind of desert. These ads give the viewer an idea that these types of food are supposed to supply sensual delight, thus influencing people to buy the product. Our cultural change also possesses a change in the confidentiality of sexual desire. The current generation is motivated by having many sexual partners, resulting in less marriages and more divorces. Bordo supports her idea of this aspect of our culture change by including imagery of how sexual independence was punished before our cultural change.
There are two advertisements analyzed in this section that Bordo observes the schemes implemented in these ads. Bordo shows us how these advertisements exploit women at a very subtle level. In the Jell-O advertisement with Bill Cosby and another individual carrying boxes of Jell-O, Bordo argues that this ad shows a nature of sexism as well as demands of women’s eating desires. She explains that men are typically never shown with food that requires time and effort to prepare. This ad also incorporates Bill looking upwards towards a picture of a mother-figure, who gives advice on how to make the Jell-O. The fact that men are incapable of making food themselves is well represented in this ad, and again reinforced by the fact that a womanly figure must be present within the advertisement.
Although Bordo has a great reasoning for her analysis, I believe that some of these advertisements are a little less evil than she makes them out to be, or maybe the advertisement companies want us to just question ourselves. Either way, these different ideas have been hidden in advertisements for centuries, and always will be. These purely profit-maxing, Madison Avenue techniques to advertisements have been the key to success in the advertising business. It is important to know that throughout this essay, Bordo argues that the effectiveness of advertisements is driven by our society’s cultural change.