The True Meaning of Beauty

Tori Davies

Mrs. Otemuyiwa

Communication Arts

29 February 2012

The True Meaning of Beauty

            Every day many people are affected by it, some suffer from it, and few die from it. Eating disorders: big in the media of the United States, Canada, and Europe. When citizens across the country hear of a model dying due to his or her dietary choices people make a big deal; when you hear of a young girl suffering from the same fate it isn’t as promoted.

The truth of eating disorders, is it an issue of will power? Do only young girls struggle from this? Have these disorders always been around; or is it the constant promotion of being thin?  Web MD states that: “Having an eating disorder is not a sign of weakness or a character flaw. And it is not something you can just overcome with willpower. Many people have struggled with eating disorders for a long time.”  Many people have suffered with these eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.

Doctors and specialists don’t know the exact causes of eating disorders, but many have theories and possibilities that can lead to them. One theory is biological factors. Research has revealed that eating disorders have run through families, which means that these disorders may be hereditary. Another cause may be a person’s mental health, meaning a person who has a lower self confidence will most likely have an eating disorder over people who are confident and sure of themselves. Another theory is where you live in the world. People who have eating disorders are more likely to live in areas where thinness is promoted in the area (Leone, pages 3-5).

Binge Eating Disorder

Picture a girl around seventeen; she thinks she’s too fat, too ugly. She has Binge Eating Disorder; eating loads of food in only an hour every day till she feels like her stomach’s going to explode. She has to eat in her bedroom because she is too embarrassed to tell someone about her compulsive overeating. She eats away all the emotional stress in her life, hoping that the food will comfort her. Once she eats away one bag of chips, or cookies she feels that she has to eat another just to feel happy.

Think of what her mother feels about her daughter. She discovered what her daughter is going through, by finding food missing in the pantry and discovering the empty wrappers in her bedroom as she was putting away her laundry. As soon as this mother discovered about her child she wanted to find ways to help her. After her search she discovered that to help her daughter she would have to go through counseling and take anti-depressants. 

“Binge Eating Disorder- Topic Overview” informs that having binge eating disorder means you eat a lot of food in a short period of time. People- mostly young women- who have this eating disorder are more likely to be obese even when they are trying to lose weight. Someone who has this disorder will: consume a lot of food in a short period of time, eat to ease emotional stress, feel like they can’t stop eating, eat faster than normal, eat until they are painfully full, and eat alone to prevent embarrassment from the amounts of food they consume (“Binge Eating Disorder- Topic Overview”).

To diagnose this disorder doctors do a physical exam and ask questions about his or her mental health. Treating binge eating disorder usually doesn’t involve prescribed medication, but with counseling. Very few cases include antidepressants. (“Binge Eating Disorder”)

The average age groups to get this disorder are late teens and young adults; but there are cases of older women and men. An Average of 3% of Americans has an eating disorder; that’s about 13.6 million people! Around 25% of people who have eating disorders are obese; meaning about 3.4 million people in America who are obese have an eating disorder (“U.S. Census”).

Anorexia Nervosa

Imagine a young woman in her mid-twenties; she is underweight; at five-foot three inches and eighty-two pounds. She considers herself to be fat and ugly. This woman continuously exercises in fear of gaining any weight. She only eats an apple and a small stick of celery every day, wanting to be thin.

Anorexia Nervosa, or Anorexia, is the most common of all the eating disorders. This disorder doesn’t include throwing up food, or eating a bunch of food in a short period of time; this eating disorder is not only a physical disorder, but also mental disorder. Anorexia is the fear of being fat and gaining weight. Most people who have Anorexia Nervosa: are underweight, are afraid to gain weight, refuse to stay the average weight, have a low self esteem when it comes to body image, obsess over food, limit what they eat, and exercise a lot- even when they’re sick (“Anorexia Nervosa”).

To diagnose Anorexia Nervosa a doctor will give their patient a physical exam including: checking the patient’s lungs, blood pressure, skin, hair, and even in some cases the patient will have blood drawn to be further examined. When the patient is diagnosed with this disorder the patient will go into counseling, and if their weight is dangerously low, they ill go to the hospital to get further treated (“Anorexia Nervosa”).

Bulimia

Now envision a young girl around twelve years old, she has bulimia. This child vomits up her every meal, hoping, wanting to be thin. She regularly dismisses herself to the bathroom before and after all her meals. She exercises every day wishing to be thinner.

Bulimia- like most eating disorders- is more common with young girls and women. People who have bulimia vomit up their food, excessively exercise, eat in secret, regularly go to the bathroom, and use laxatives, enemas, or diuretics. Some signs for Bulimia are: broken blood vessels in the eyes, dry mouth, pouch-like look in corners of the mouth due to salivary glands, rashes and pimples, and small cuts and calluses across the tops of finger joints from being forced to throw up (Berger and Zieve).

In the article “Bulimia,” it addresses that Bulimia is rarely treated with medicine, but some cases have been reported to: stop the patient from vomiting, use antidepressants, and if Bulimia has lead to Anorexia Nervosa. In usual cases there usually are support groups, to encourage the victim; therapy; and antidepressants (Berger and Zieve).

Young girls face eating disorders every day: whether they have it, a family member or friend has it, or in the promotion of media to be slim. Many citizens in America, Canada and Europe deal with this on a daily basis, though most choose to ignore it. The big question of all is, “What is Beauty?” Is it the clothes people wear; how they present themselves; someone’s size? Or is it “What makes Beauty?” Is it a person’s personality; her sociability; her appreciation? Beauty should mean how someone’s personality looks. Beauty is what’s on the inside that counts- and that doesn’t mean how someone’s intestines look but how and what people feel on the inside.

Works Cited

“Anorexia Nervosa- Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment for Anorexia.” WebMD.                       Healthwise Inc. February 23, 2011. Web. February 9, 2012.

Berger, Fred. Zieve, David. “Bulimia.” Pub Med Health. United States Government. April 18, 2011. Web. February 13, 2012.

 “Binge-eating Disorder.” Mayoclinic.  Mayo Foundation. August 2, 2011. Web. February 10, 2012.

Leone, Daniel. Bulimia. Farmington Hills Michigan: Szumski, Bonnie. Print. January 28^th,  2012.

“U.S. Census Bureau.” Quick Facts.com. January 17, 2012. Web. February 15, 2012.

Does Society’s Promotion of Pretty Lead to Anorexia?

By, Tori 

The idea of pretty has changed throughout time and varies throughout location. Is being pretty dangerous and leads to treacherous solutions? Why would someone want to look like they're sick? Why do girls in the United States and Europe think that the solution to being pretty is to throw up everything they eat? These are many questions that are asked and debated about anorexia, but what is the true meaning of beauty, and what's the cause of it?

Cause--- Biology and Genetic Make up

       In the article “The New Anorexics: Big Increase in Eating Disorders in Women After the Age of 30,” written by Denis Campbell, a Health correspondent, older woman aren't eating to look younger. In this article Campbell is informing others about that it's not only young girls that want to look thin by not eating, but older women too. This piece describes how older women are not eating to look younger and the not-eating is making them weaker and less immune to viruses. Campbell also uses negative connotation against older women with eating disorders like "trigger" and "crippling conditions".  Campbell addresses conflicting evidence stating that younger girls suffer from anorexia but the amount of older women having anorexia s increasing each day. This source is accurate because it was last updated two years, is on an educational website, and was written by a health correspondent, making the website trustworthy and reliable. ( http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMO0040-0-6521&artno=0000308545&type=ART )

       In “Anorexia Risk 'Could Be Predicted'” also written by Denis Campbell informs that thousands of girls are predisposed to develop anorexia because of the way their brains developed in the womb. In this article it describes how children can be affected by anorexia and other eating disorders due to genetics and science. Campbell uses neutral connotation, not directly putting in his bias, letting the people interviewed and quoted to have his opinion addressed. In the article Campbell addresses conflicting evidence in the first paragraph saying that most people believe it's the sizes of celebrities and models influencing the minds of young women today. This source isn't as reliable as the first because it was last updated three years ago, but is on an educational website, and was written by the same health correspondent, making the website trustworthy and reliable.( http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMO0040-0-6521&artno=0000293442&type=ART )

      The article “Not Our Stars but Ourselves,” written by Fred Schwarz states that in the last dozen years or so, scientists have linked anorexia to many different physiological conditions. This piece informs and describes to it's readers that anorexia is a mental illness that causes young girls and women to starve themselves to death. Schwarz uses negative connotation using words like "victims" "bombard" and "obsessed" to show his opinion of how people are influenced by others thinking thin is beautiful. The author addresses conflicting evidence saying that most actresses and models are incredibly thin and advertisements for diet programs exclude average sized people and showing all the different reasons that are the real issue to anorexia like genetic and environmental issues. This article isn't very reliable because it was last updated three years ago, and only includes the author's name.( http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMO0040-0-6521&artno=0000290865&type=ART )

Cause--- Society's Idea of Pretty

       In the article, "Beyond Thin", written by the Pittsburg Post Gazette informs readers that young girls are thinking they have to be thin because of manipulated photos and dolls. The writer uses comparing and contrasting models before and after photo-shop and describes how physically impossible it is to have a waist smaller than your head. The author thinks that not eating wouldn't lead you to be as thin as models because the models images in billboards and magazines aren't real. The article addresses conflicting evidence like America's obesity problem and contradicts it saying eating disorders are a big issue in America too. The author uses negative connotation like "trigger" and "twisted" to get the point across that what advertisers are doing to manipulate a models body isn't right. This source is reliable because it was written a few months ago and has a lot of facts to support the authors viewpoint like statistics and percentages.(  http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMO0040-0-9987&artno=0000316078&type=ART )

     From the book, "Killer Fashion: An Industry in Denial," written by Libby Rodenbough it informs and describes how dangerous under eating can be. This book shows that models suffer from trying to look like the image they are wanted to be and some even suffer from death. This piece uses negative connotation like "foul" and "devastation” to show that Rodenbough is against models being anorexic. This article addresses conflicting evidence stating most Americans are afraid of getting fat due to the media. This piece is reliable because it was last updated April 2011. This piece is also a part of a published book and has a lot of data and stories to support the author's viewpoint, like the story of the girl in France that died due to under-eating.  ( http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SMO0040-0-9987&artno=0000313317&type=ART )

Left For Dead Book to Movie Transfer

The author's viewpoint of "Left for Dead" is that Captain McVay was innocent. Throughout the book it describes all the weight that was put on the captain's shoulders. Our book has the qualities of a narrative, but show just about every text structure there is. There are multiple climaxes, and they are connected back to different structures. The book uses problem and solution, description, and sequence. All the events with Hunter Scott include problem and solution. Captain McVay was held accountable for something Hunter didn't think was his fault. Hunter got the captain's name cleared. The book describes all the events of what happened on July 30, 1945 along with Hunter's search for justice. The families of the deceased sailors of the USS Indianapolis didn't particularly like this idea of Hunter Scott clearing his name.

Casting Director:
-Shia LaBoeff  as Hunter Scott (sp?)
-Orlando Bloom as Captain McVay
-Jackie Chan as Hashimoto
-plus extras to play sailors

Sound/Music Director:
-Jaws music when sharks are coming
-Silence when people die/get pulled under
-Chaotic music when the ship gets hit with the torpedo
-Sad music while ship is sinking

Set/Costume Director:
-Navy uniform of that time (sailors)
-Set on a little island
-Suits (Hunter Scott, people at the hearing)
-Black and White, and then Color ( Kind of like the Wizard of Oz)

General Director/Editor
-Least amount of time on Sinking
-A lot of time on the days after sinking (stranded in ocean)
-Life at home for soldiers
-Hunter Scott's hard work

By, Kirby C. Tori D. Erik B. Jay C.

The Only thing to Fear is Fear Itself

I was bored one day and just wrote this. everyone in my family thought it was good and i thought 'hey why don't i ask to get this published' but then another thought came to me; 'what if they're lying to make me feel good about myself?' So i want to ask you - in your honest oppinion- if i should ask to get this published in Teen Ink or not- if not please ask me what i can change to improve my short story. Thank you.

            A couple centuries ago there were five powerful families that possessed different powers that made them different from regular people.

            The first family consisted of what were called whisperers. The members of the family could get into the minds of any human and could talk to people by getting into their minds. But the members in that family couldn’t over power a mind just a small voice, like a whisper. The name of the family was Conscience.

            The second family consisted of shadow movers. The family can move in the shadows and manipulate shapes that make the shadow. They appeared to seem normal in the light but melt into shadows when the sun goes down. The family’s name started as Darkness but then changed to Fear a century later.

            The third family was made up of magic users. The people of that family could weave spells that a regular human could only dream of. Therefore the name of the family was Fantasy.

            The Fourth family didn’t consist of any special talents that would make them different from a regular human, but their heart and attitudes were different. Instead of being self-full like an ordinary human, they did things for others before themselves. By their good selfless deeds the family was given the name Help.

            The fifth family could sense the problems of others. Using their powers for good they performed tasks for people that thought their problems were impossible to fix. The families name was Miracle but then changed to Hope.

            After living together in peace for sixty years conflict broke between the families. The problem was the Fear family was getting too strong and making the Hope family weaker. Eventually war broke out. On Hope’s side was Help and on Fear’s side was Fantasy. Conscience couldn’t decide on which side to be on and eventually split in half; one half on Hope’s side and one half on Fear’s side.

            The war was gruesome and gory that eventually Hope sacrificed too weak to continue the killing and torturing. Hope retreated into the bodies of every human being to survive. Following Hope’s example Help did the same hoping that the people they would enter would be helping one another. The half of Conscience that was on Hope’s side did the same so that the people will make better decisions.

            Frustrated Fear sent Fantasy into the minds of every human to tempt them and contaminate their innocence. After Fantasy left Fear sent the rest of the Conscience family into every human to contradict one member of their family that went against them.

            With all the families but Fear inside Fear was left alone to do what they do best, create fear. What Fear didn’t know was that their family started a never ending war inside every human being.       

The SIB Victim

                       

By, Tori 

                        11:29 p.m. March 7^th; 2010   

            They found her on the bathroom floor bleeding. She was out of it, unconscious, while her own river of blood trickled into a thick red pool of blood on the floor. In her clenched hand was a bloody knife.

            Her brother was devastated when he saw his sister’s pale body being pulled away into the ambulance. Should he react for once, or bottle his emotions up like when he discovered the loss of his father just a few days ago. Sam followed the sound of sirens to the hospital and watched his own sister be pricked and jabbed with needles and tubes, but it was useless, in an hour she was dead.

            They were close, him and Jaimie, but Sam couldn’t recall her favorite food or color, so were they really that close? He remembered how they fought over the TV remote and how she always fought with their mom. What secrets did his little sister have? Was she as put together as she appeared to Sam? That was a stupid question; no one can ever be put together, always happy, always acting like there’s no worry in the world. Jaimie tried. Jaimie failed.

            A tear slipped out of Sam’s eye. In a week he had lost his dad, and now his sister. He tried hiding his feelings but it was like putting a band-aid because your finger hurts or putting make up on to hide a bruise for school pictures; it was useless and didn’t help the pain. Sam felt like a balloon; just one comment will make him burst. He was oblivious to the fact his sister had felt the same way.

                        Two days earlier; 6:20 a.m.

            It was early in the morning when I received the news that my dad was dead. Being the only one up my mother and brother didn’t know-I wish I didn’t either. As if someone had just said ‘poof’ he was gone and couldn’t survive; it was a small Saturn versus a mammoth sized R.V.

            Why? Why did this happen to me? Why’d it happen to him? Of all the billions of people in this world why did it happen to us; to Sam and mom, grandma and grandpa, and all my father’s close friends?

            Questions like this flowed through my mind in a river of thoughts as I sat down in my uncomfortable wooden chair in the dining room eating my bland oatmeal. I was lost. I was confused. I needed to be found. I was angry, but at whom: I don’t know. But why: I was pretty sure.

            I took a big spoonful of oatmeal and while its mushy contents warmed most of my body it didn’t warm my heart. I needed to learn to keep this feeling away and make sure it doesn’t come back.

            The faint footfalls proclaimed my mother’s presence. “Good morning,” she said giddily, why was she in such a good mood?

            I bit my lip, should I tell her, or will she be more mad and yell like we did in our fight last week. “Mom there’s something I need to tell you,” I said steadily on the words so I wouldn’t choke on them.

            Mom smiled, “Me too, I got a raise so your father won’t have to work night shift at the hospital anymore-“

            “MOM!” I shouted a little too loud. “Dad is dead, he died on his way home when an RV flipped, knocking and killing all the people in seven cars.”

            Tears welled up in my mother’s eyes; I shouldn’t have told her that, she’ll blame it all on me now.

                The rest of the morning went like this; mom yelling, crying and locking herself in her room. When my brother, Sam, found out he didn’t react at all, his features appeared to be made out of stone; set in an enduring grimace.

                I walked up to the school doors, the cold brisk wind playing with my brown average length hair and my blue unzipped jacket.

                There were a few other kids my age talking in cliques that I obviously didn’t fit into. A few people looked at me, rolled their eyes and went back to their hushed discussion. I got the message; they didn’t like me, I was a goody-goody, a person that was too nice to do anything “fun,” as they call it. I sighed and walked passed to my friends that were closest to the school doors.     

“Hey Jaimie,” my closest friend Maria said with a smile that revealed her braces.

“Hi,” I said dully, forgetting to hide my emotions.

Wyatt, the one who everyone thinks can read minds asked, “What’s wrong, is it about your dad again?” his dark blue eyes looked at me questionly

I nodded, me and my dad never really got along and now I regret that making tears well up into my eyes.

“What happened this time?” Maria asked making her eyes the size of baseballs.

This was what I was trying to avoid, the reason why I even came to school- to get away. Why did I have to have this? I didn’t want the tight knot in my stomach, the large lump in my throat, the feeling that I might break out into tears when ever I speak.

“I don’t really want to talk about it,” I clipped.

  They all nodded. I smiled a little, glad that they are all so understanding.

“Did anyone do the algebra homework?” I asked trying to switch the topic.

Maria nodded pulling out her tattered notebook that was filled with confusing variables and equations.

I took the notebook with a forced smile of thanks.

 “Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?” Wyatt said with a worried look on his face.

I shook my head. “Yeah, something is, I woke up this morning and found out my dad is dead.”

Maria looked instantly distressed and hugged me tightly. “I’m SO sorry Jaimie, it’s gonna be okay, I know how you feel!”

I felt awkward under her hug, why was she saying that? Did she really know how I felt, or was it just what people say to ones who lost a loved one, something about her seemed fake… artificial.

Pulling away from the hug I looked at Wyatt. He looked at his feet and didn’t look up. His dark hair covered his eyes. Last summer his little brother had drowned in pool, ever since Wyatt has been touchy on the subject of death.

By the end of school Maria told everyone what happened to my dad. People were babying me and even the teachers were treating me different giving me a longer time to finish assignments like I was stupid or something. I didn’t like it, I mean; people die all the time, don’t they? What makes my dad so different?

I walked home and went to my empty room. I was sad, but why did other people treat me like I was different, should I act sad?

Images of my dad flowed through my mind like a slideshow; him and mom together smiling, him making pizzas in the kitchen, and the call I received announcing his death. Should I do something? Should I shut myself from the rest of the world like my brother, Sam?

Something snapped in my mind and I knew what I was supposed to do. Walking to the kitchen I grabbed a knife, sharp enough to hurt but not big enough to cut to the bone. Quietly I padded into the bathroom.

Cutting into my wrist I had cut a big artery and was bleeding to death, I felt light headed and eventually passed out. I knew this was the end, the end of my life.

                       

March 8^th 2010: 1:24 p.m.

                                   

Wyatt was trudging around his house, why didn’t Jaimie call him yet, today was when I hen they were going to the park; they always went there on Saturday. Suddenly the doorbell rang and Wyatt went to it quickly, but it wasn’t whom he thought would be there. Instead of Jaimie, Maria stood in her place, her eyes were red from tears and her face was blotchy from crying.

 “It’s Jaimie!” she sobbed. “She’s dead.”

Instantly Wyatt felt his heart get ripped out. First his little brother Trenton and now Jaimie, why was everyone he loved dying?

“Dead?” he asked to make sure he heard her right.

She nodded, “She was found dead yesterday, but there were so many calls to make, you know; since her dad died and now-now her.”

He felt like he wanted to break something, go away, be absent from the world and evade everything and everyone so he wouldn’t lose another thing he was close to.

“How did she die?” Wyatt asked slowly.

 Maria shrugged, “From what I heard from her brother was that she killed herself because of her dad dying.”

Wyatt nodded slowly; she killed herself because of depression. He would stay strong, for her, for one of his best friends. He will not regret that he knew the one and only Jaimie Hartlieb.