After reading Isabel de Jesus, I was surprised at the attitude of the narrator how the narrator was so God fearing and just trying to guess what God willed and tried to comply with that and am wondering why this attitude is so persistent.
The "Holy Anorexia" article mentioned in the beginning that anorexia nervosa affects both females and males, although it is much less common in the male population. But towards the end of the article, Bell only used female articles to describe victims of the disorder. So why is it that holy anorexia only affects females?
I have two questions. The author says at the beginning of the passage " the most frequent time of onset is adolescence and, although the poor are not immune to this disease, it appears to be the special preserve of well-to-do, white, Western girls." I wonder if anorexia is a way for these girls to break away from their boring and regular well-off lives and an approach to stand against their parents in adolescence. My idea is that teenagers in adolescence want to get attentions and decide everything on their own so they rebel their parents. However, I can think of no reason why anorexia is only common among girls.
Another question is at the end of the passage, the author says" either way, it was Christendom's patriarchy, not the girl herself, who had to define her anorexia as saintly rather than demonic or sick". According to the author's assertion, can we draw a conclusion that holy anorexia is resulted from the pressure of male hierarchy? Females have less right and power than males do, so they try to do something that is considered extremely sincere to God by fasting.
After reading “Torn Lace”, several questions came to mind. The bride says, “ I still saw Bernardo before me with that expression of rage, cruelty, and contempt that I had just glimpsed in his face; this idea took hold of me, and with it came another one: that I couldn’t, that I wouldn’t give myself to such a man, not then, not ever…”(66-67). What percentage of married couples today doesn’t know the true side of their other half? It is sad to think about but there are a lot of stories where people realize something about their partner after married.
The article “Holy Anorexia” highlights how standard anorexia is defined and how it differs from that of holy anorexia. I do not understand why one of the factors in defining anorexia nervosa is that the onset of the disorder appears before the age of 25. What is it called if the onset of the eating disorder appears after that age? How is it truly different? Does it affect the body in different ways depending on what age it occurs?
I was also wondering about the age restrictions limiting when one can be diagnosed as having anorexia nervosa, what would it be classified if all the other symptoms matched and the patient was over 25? Is this classification related to the idea that adolescent’s brains are still developing while under 25? Could anorexia nervosa permanently alter the brain chemistry or brain development of the patient?
The articles "Holy Anorexia" and "Holy Feast and Holy Fast" mention the regulation of food as the source of women's control during medieval times, as well as their ability to find their own identity. It's upsetting to know that their only way to establish identity during then was to manipulate their bodies with the lack of food. Then again, how is the situation today really any different?
In the article, "Holy Feast and Holy Fast," Caroline Bynum talks about womens' illnesses in the late Middle ages and describes them as "to be endured" not "cured." My question is whether this was from personal belief or whether it was culturally-learned? How could this be the only way in which could gain sanctity?
As the article states that Freud think that "a link between self-starvation and the sexual drive" exists for the anorexia symptoms. Did that, to certain extent, reflect the stereotype people had against women at that time?
in the article holy anorexia they try to explain how anorexia and our sex drive are related. i diddnt really understand what it meant and how they relate to each other? is anorexia driven by a disorder in a womans or mens sexuality drive or does anorexia make the disorder hapen?
Post reading " Holy feat and Holy Fast", the author quotes, " most researchers agree that the incident of bulimia and anexoria is increasing rapidly today, although recent talk of an "epidemic" maybe over reaction." my question is what is the cause of the this rapid increase, and why wasn't there such a rapid increase in the 19th century? My personal opinion lies within the media. In today's society i feel that the image the media coneys puts pressure on people, specifically women to maintain a certain image. Moreover, this image is clearly a thin image. This results in women pressuring themselves to maintain a certain weight, and taking upon extreme measures to do so resulting in axeria and bulimia.
After reading these pieces, I wonder why there isn't much documentation of male anorexia. What are the social implications of this? Is it possible that male anorexia is neglected because of social stigmas?
The article, "Holy Anorexia" mentions how anorexia can be related to religious contexts in medieval age. In the process of distinguishing between the modern anorexia and holy anorexia, what is the point of analyzing how people consider about anorexia in different time periods? Wouldn't it be better to talk about the resolution to the treatments or the possible way to handle such behaviors?
The article "Holy Anorexia," differentiate anorexia nervosa and holy anorexia. While they are both described as a strive to gain control, I am under the impression that anorexia nervosa is the one more treated like a disorder. I took psychology classes before, and there is a section about anorexia nervosa and bulimia. However, this is the first time I heard about holy anorexia. Does this mean holy anorexia is completely acceptable in society and treated as a spiritual journey, like Jesus, who fasted for 40 days in the desert?
The article "Holy Anorexia" is very interesting in that it is trying to distinguis between anorexia nervosa and holy anorexia which are both refusal to consume food but for different reasons, although both seem to be a battle for control, holy anorexia is in order to have self discipline,they even said some women desire to be ill which I thought was one of the most interesting statements, "To be the servant of God is to be ther servant of no man" and the control comes in again because they say if you do not feel pain or any physical desires or needs you are in complete control of yourself. This relates to the control issue of anorexia nervosa in which they are trying to control themselves in order to fit a figure that satisfies society. IN this article it always says "the girl" and I was wondering how that would differ from today when they are diagnosing more men with the disorder?
We've gone all over the place in this class as far as gender roles, specifically the roles of women. in this weeks reading we were introduced to food and how it relates to the role of women. What I thought was interesting was that in "holy anorexia" the author ONLY talks about women who suffer from this illness and in "holy feast, holy fast" the author describes how women have control over foods in different ways. My question is, if food is the one way that women can manipulate men and food is the only aspect they have sole control of then why did they choose to give it up? CHristian Dixon
On page 19 of Holy Anorexia, the author goes from talking about the modern anorexic girl in one paragraph to describing a holy anorexic girl in the next. Do you think this side by side comparison is effective? Or do you think he could have had a better transition from one to another?
I think woman are trying to prove something by taking control of what they eat and what they dont. They are trying to show that they too can be in charge.
After reading Isabel de Jesus, I was surprised at the attitude of the narrator how the narrator was so God fearing and just trying to guess what God willed and tried to comply with that and am wondering why this attitude is so persistent.
ReplyDeletePrerna Agarwal
The "Holy Anorexia" article mentioned in the beginning that anorexia nervosa affects both females and males, although it is much less common in the male population. But towards the end of the article, Bell only used female articles to describe victims of the disorder. So why is it that holy anorexia only affects females?
ReplyDeleteI have two questions.
ReplyDeleteThe author says at the beginning of the passage " the most frequent time of onset is adolescence and, although the poor are not immune to this disease, it appears to be the special preserve of well-to-do, white, Western girls." I wonder if anorexia is a way for these girls to break away from their boring and regular well-off lives and an approach to stand against their parents in adolescence. My idea is that teenagers in adolescence want to get attentions and decide everything on their own so they rebel their parents. However, I can think of no reason why anorexia is only common among girls.
Another question is at the end of the passage, the author says" either way, it was Christendom's patriarchy, not the girl herself, who had to define her anorexia as saintly rather than demonic or sick". According to the author's assertion, can we draw a conclusion that holy anorexia is resulted from the pressure of male hierarchy? Females have less right and power than males do, so they try to do something that is considered extremely sincere to God by fasting.
After reading “Torn Lace”, several questions came to mind. The bride says, “ I still saw Bernardo before me with that expression of rage, cruelty, and contempt that I had just glimpsed in his face; this idea took hold of me, and with it came another one: that I couldn’t, that I wouldn’t give myself to such a man, not then, not ever…”(66-67). What percentage of married couples today doesn’t know the true side of their other half? It is sad to think about but there are a lot of stories where people realize something about their partner after married.
ReplyDeleteThe article “Holy Anorexia” highlights how standard anorexia is defined and how it differs from that of holy anorexia. I do not understand why one of the factors in defining anorexia nervosa is that the onset of the disorder appears before the age of 25. What is it called if the onset of the eating disorder appears after that age? How is it truly different? Does it affect the body in different ways depending on what age it occurs?
ReplyDeleteI was also wondering about the age restrictions limiting when one can be diagnosed as having anorexia nervosa, what would it be classified if all the other symptoms matched and the patient was over 25? Is this classification related to the idea that adolescent’s brains are still developing while under 25? Could anorexia nervosa permanently alter the brain chemistry or brain development of the patient?
ReplyDeleteThe articles "Holy Anorexia" and "Holy Feast and Holy Fast" mention the regulation of food as the source of women's control during medieval times, as well as their ability to find their own identity. It's upsetting to know that their only way to establish identity during then was to manipulate their bodies with the lack of food. Then again, how is the situation today really any different?
ReplyDeleteIn the article, "Holy Feast and Holy Fast," Caroline Bynum talks about womens' illnesses in the late Middle ages and describes them as "to be endured" not "cured." My question is whether this was from personal belief or whether it was culturally-learned? How could this be the only way in which could gain sanctity?
ReplyDeleteAs the article states that Freud think that "a link between self-starvation and the sexual drive" exists for the anorexia symptoms. Did that, to certain extent, reflect the stereotype people had against women at that time?
ReplyDeletein the article holy anorexia they try to explain how anorexia and our sex drive are related. i diddnt really understand what it meant and how they relate to each other? is anorexia driven by a disorder in a womans or mens sexuality drive or does anorexia make the disorder hapen?
ReplyDeletePost reading " Holy feat and Holy Fast", the author quotes, " most researchers agree that the incident of bulimia and anexoria is increasing rapidly today, although recent talk of an "epidemic" maybe over reaction." my question is what is the cause of the this rapid increase, and why wasn't there such a rapid increase in the 19th century? My personal opinion lies within the media. In today's society i feel that the image the media coneys puts pressure on people, specifically women to maintain a certain image. Moreover, this image is clearly a thin image. This results in women pressuring themselves to maintain a certain weight, and taking upon extreme measures to do so resulting in axeria and bulimia.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading these pieces, I wonder why there isn't much documentation of male anorexia. What are the social implications of this? Is it possible that male anorexia is neglected because of social stigmas?
ReplyDelete- Merry Chin
The article, "Holy Anorexia" mentions how anorexia can be related to religious contexts in medieval age. In the process of distinguishing between the modern anorexia and holy anorexia, what is the point of analyzing how people consider about anorexia in different time periods? Wouldn't it be better to talk about the resolution to the treatments or the possible way to handle such behaviors?
ReplyDeleteAfter reading these passages, I wonder whether the idea that women are the one to serve food is influenced by traditional gender role.
ReplyDeleteThe article "Holy Anorexia," differentiate anorexia nervosa and holy anorexia. While they are both described as a strive to gain control, I am under the impression that anorexia nervosa is the one more treated like a disorder. I took psychology classes before, and there is a section about anorexia nervosa and bulimia. However, this is the first time I heard about holy anorexia. Does this mean holy anorexia is completely acceptable in society and treated as a spiritual journey, like Jesus, who fasted for 40 days in the desert?
ReplyDeleteThe article "Holy Anorexia" is very interesting in that it is trying to distinguis between anorexia nervosa and holy anorexia which are both refusal to consume food but for different reasons, although both seem to be a battle for control, holy anorexia is in order to have self discipline,they even said some women desire to be ill which I thought was one of the most interesting statements, "To be the servant of God is to be ther servant of no man" and the control comes in again because they say if you do not feel pain or any physical desires or needs you are in complete control of yourself. This relates to the control issue of anorexia nervosa in which they are trying to control themselves in order to fit a figure that satisfies society. IN this article it always says "the girl" and I was wondering how that would differ from today when they are diagnosing more men with the disorder?
ReplyDeleteWe've gone all over the place in this class as far as gender roles, specifically the roles of women. in this weeks reading we were introduced to food and how it relates to the role of women. What I thought was interesting was that in "holy anorexia" the author ONLY talks about women who suffer from this illness and in "holy feast, holy fast" the author describes how women have control over foods in different ways. My question is, if food is the one way that women can manipulate men and food is the only aspect they have sole control of then why did they choose to give it up? CHristian Dixon
ReplyDeleteOn page 19 of Holy Anorexia, the author goes from talking about the modern anorexic girl in one paragraph to describing a holy anorexic girl in the next. Do you think this side by side comparison is effective? Or do you think he could have had a better transition from one to another?
ReplyDeleteI think woman are trying to prove something by taking control of what they eat and what they dont. They are trying to show that they too can be in charge.
ReplyDelete