Please post your response to Roxane Gay's short essay here. It can be pretty open ended, but some things you may want to address are the overall structure or language of the piece; the way Gay inserts herself into the narrative; the comment on race; the comment on genre (various genres really); the way this essay complicates or engages with ideology/pop culture; etc.
Your response should be no less than 150 words.
1. How to you believe that Gay's childhood and self esteem would have differed if at that time a dark skinned women would have been portrayed more often in films and literature as the leading beauty? How would this have impacted Gay's writings today?
ReplyDelete2. Gay, now an adult has read the new Sweet Valley Confidential and despises it. Do you believe that this is a reflection of her new self esteem as she no longer aspires to be like the airhead, blonde, thin characters of the book? Why?
I believe that Gay’s childhood self-esteem would have been much higher if dark skinned women would have been portrayed more often in films and literature as the leading beauty. Growing up she felt like the outcast due to her background and the conditions of her family. Being American and “light skinned” was a normal. Coming from a Haitian background and being dark skinned was not normal. Her writings today would be much different if dark skinned women were portrayed more often because she would be writing from a different perspective. She would have been “normal” rather than an outcast.
DeleteI believe that Gays reaction to the new Sweet Valley Confidential series reflects her new self-esteem. She has matured and became comfortable with who she is and where she comes from. Growing up, Gay always felt like the outcast and she admired those who were more normal than she was. Now she has grown up to be confident and she looks back at her childhood and how she dreamed of the “perfect life” based off of those books and she may laugh at herself for thinking in such a way.
The article, "I Once was Miss America" talks about Roxane's childhood and how she struggled growing up and she wasn't perfect and had flaws like everyone else. But after watching the first African American women get crowned for Miss America it gave her hope and new ideas for how she wanted to portray herself. She was bullied and that confidence she gained from watching Vanessa Williams get crowned made her stand up for herself and show that violence and bullying doesn't affect her. In the article there is a lot of description that helps you understand the characters, Elizabeth and Jessica, and makes you want to learn more about them through the description. Race is shown because she talks about how she is an American in public and a Haitian at home, she basically plays two different roles around different people in society. I enjoyed reading this article and Roxane showed she can have very high expectations even though she knows they possibly won’t come true, but it helps to push herself to become something great. But after she read the new Sweet Valley books she was taken back from how awful the new release of the book was. But the book gave her hope after reading it and rooting for someone throughout the book made her want to read it even more.
ReplyDeleteSydney Denkert
1.) Why do you think Roxanne Gay was so into the Sweet Valley Series as a young girl growing up?
ReplyDelete2.) Why do you think she continued to read Sweet Valley Confidential despite how badly it was written?
I believe that Roxanne Gay was so interested in the Sweet Valley Series as a young girl because it provided her insight into a fantasy world where she could be the popular girl. Instead of attempting to figure out the lives of the popular girls at her school she immersed herself into the book which allowed her to take a break from reality and see what it was like to be the "cool" girl.
DeleteAlthough Gay realized that Sweet Valley Confidential was horribly written she continued to read the books because it allowed her to reminisce on her times as a youth when all that seemed to matter was beauty and popularity. Although it may seem trivial now, as an adult she is now able to look back on her past and realize how stupid and poorly written the books are. By reading the new books she was able to revisit the superficial concepts that once made her self-conscious and now laugh at the ridiculousness of the importance of being popular.
The article that Roxane wrote about her childhood and her favorite book series really shows how strong her character is. She embraced her differences, although, this was extremely difficult at times. She talks about how she was one of the only black kids in school, and how her classmates used to make fun of her. She later mentions how Vanessa Williams gave her hope, but sadly was also the inspiration for her nickname "Miss America". The post also shows her progression throughout parts of her life and how she changed and matured. This was evident from her reaction to the release of the latest book in the Sweet Valley High series. Growing up, she used to idolize the perfect characters in the series and wished she was able to live like them. Now she can't help but laugh at the perfect lives of the characters, realizing how unrealistic and stupid it is. The genre that is evident in not only the Sweet Valley High series, but in Roxane's childhood is drama. Drama is what the entire SVH series is based off, and Roxane relates this to many of her issues growing up. For Roxane though, it was more of a lack of drama in her early years, because she was often not included by other girls and said she lacked friends.
ReplyDeleteIn Roxanes Gay’s short essay, “I once was miss America,” she talks about an old book series she used to read which was, “Sweet Valley High.” As a young girl, she was very shy and did not have many friends specially because of her race but she enjoyed reading the book series. Every time she would read the book, she would live the moments with the fictional characters of the story. The books were a way that the author would escape from the bad things in her life. In her school, she was teased but all she wanted to do was fit in. Vanessa Williams in introduced in the very beginning of the short essay because she later comes up when she tells the popular kids, that she will become Miss America one day. The author also talks about how to book series shows the perfect person, usually consists of being white, thin and blonde; It doesn’t include a black woman, which is something that throws her off at a young age. The short essay was interesting to read and be able to see how an author put herself into the narrative.
ReplyDeleteDiego Mendoza
This short essay was an easy read. The diction made it very understandable and really easy to comprehend. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure whether she was going to write about her dream of becoming Miss America or just focused on talking about the books. The structure of the essay was good and didn’t miss any details. She gave us full effect on the scenery of the book. Her hobby became part of her. She zoned out into her own little world. Which is typically what younger kids tend to do. she placed herself with the Sweet Valley kids and knew she was no different than them. She portrayed herself as a strong independent woman, even from an early age. She overcame bullying and racial discrimination all on her own. She stood up for herself and never let anyone bring her down. The books brought her hope that she’ll one day step out of the shadow of being the outsider.
ReplyDelete“I Once was Miss America” by Roxane Gay was a great reading. The context went straight to the point, and personally, this style of writing appeals to me and grabbed my attention. The narrative itself was very personal, especially the way she talks about the twins and their looks, attributes, etc. The author did have the thought that a black, Haitian girl could not be popular due to the color of her skin. I enjoyed how Gay did not let her race get to her even though people have. Despite the race, this reading showed the reader that you should be comfortable with your own skin. Gay’s perspective from when she was younger to now changed a lot, from the Sweet Valley books to how she perceives herself now. I will say that the things Gay is mentioning in the short reading, still happen today. Many people are not confident enough as Gay, but should look from her perspective.
ReplyDeleteGloria Chae
The article talks about Roxanne's childhood and the influence a book series had on her. She struggled as she was growing up because she didn't resemble the characters in her books who were described as being perfect, while she saw herself as having many flaws. She was also bullied very often due to these flaws. When she saw Vanessa Williams become Miss America pageant, she stood up to the kids and told them that one day she would be Miss America. She also goes on to show how she progressed/progresses throughout her life and how she has changed. The genre that is evident in this post is Drama. She talks about the Sweet Valley High series which is series of constant drama stories as well as how she had to deal with a lot of drama as she was growing up due to the way she saw herself and how she wan't included with the popular kids.
ReplyDelete-Kamaren Sandhu
Roxane Gay's article, "I Once was Miss America," described her childhood as an outsider, which would capture anyone's attention understanding that everyone feels like an outsider at one point in their life. She viewed her own character as having flaws compared to the "perfect" characters who bullied her because of the color of her skin. We then see her develop and now can be described as an independent fearless woman. She is confident in her character. This reading's message can and should be verbally expressed to all teenagers around the world because every school has bullying. She talks about how her time at Sweet Valley High has made her realize that she is no different than any of the other kids. Although people may not have the strength of Roxane Gay, the moral of this story is important to an audience that is in need of confidence. This was a great read and very relatable.
ReplyDeleteLexi McLellan
The article, “I Was Once Miss America” by Roxane Gay dives into her childhood and how a series of books influence her life indefinitely. Gay starts by talking about Vanessa Williams who just won Miss America in 1984 but had to step down due to a nude photo scandal. But, she does not let the scandal sway the fact that Williams was the first black woman to be crowned as Miss America and how that affected black girls everywhere, including her. After she introduces how Williams affected her she then inserts herself into the narratives and uses anecdotes of her childhood. The piece is somewhat written chronologically which starts with her talking about how the popular kids would tease her about becoming Miss America. Also, this chronological order shows the reader how she matured and took all her struggles and turned them into a happy ending just like Sweet Valley. I thoroughly enjoyed the reading due to her effective way to capture the audience and showing the readers her struggles and how she ended up succeeding.
ReplyDelete“I Once Was Miss America” written by Roxane Gay was truly an incredible composition. I felt like this piece really reflected the beauty standards that we have in society today. As a nation we often do not recognize the negative implementations of beauty that we push upon young women today. This piece talks about a young girl who always felt insecure because of her difference in skin color and all the other flaws she saw compared to Elizabeth and Jessica who were the epitome of “beauty.” Roxane talks about her journey in accepting her beauty and gaining confidence ever since she saw Vanessa Williams become Miss America. This was overall one of the easier short reads but definitely great in depth. The author did a great job in the style and shaping of her words to portray a topic that is common but important to reach especially to girls and young women today.
ReplyDeleteJulianne Lee
Roxane Gay begins “I Once Was Miss America” with a brief description of Vanessa Williams, Miss America’s first African American recipient, and concludes the first paragraph by introducing her presence with a captivating hook that addresses her own race as being African American as well. Gay informs readers of Sweet Valley and its two perfect and popular residents but interjects to clarify that Sweet Valley is fictional; part of a book series. Gay reveals her childhood awkwardness and longing to be a part of the popular kids at her school, something that many can relate to quite well. Gay points out that nostalgia is powerful and builds with time; often reshaping memories. Given the nickname Miss America by her mother, Gay told her classmates that one day she would become Miss America as a retort to their teasing. Gay concludes her writing by stating that even though she was never going to be Miss America, in one of her fantasies she would win an Oscar for a screenplay; something close enough to the crown.
ReplyDeleteCharlene Forti
Roxane Gay's "I Once was Miss America", takes readers on a short journey through Gay's all time favorite series of novels, Sweet Valley High. The novel itself is extremely stereotypical. The plot follows the lives of wealthy, good looking, popular teens in high school; the typical "cool kids" in every high school. They all live in beautiful homes in the suburbs of California and they are all adored by their peers. The main characters are utterly perfect in appearance, but have lives filled with drama, romance, and popularity.
ReplyDeleteRoxane Gay absolutely fell in love with the series. She too lived in a nice suburban area and found some common ground with her favorite characters, the Wakefield sisters. Day in and day out she dove into the books and lost herself in the series. She wished that one day, in real life, she could live as if she were one of the popular kids in her school. Everyday in class, she payed close attention to the favored students that she wished to associate with. She always wanted a chance just to show the cool kids that she was similar and could fit in with them. However, she very quickly realized that those kids didn't view her in the same manner she viewed them. She later on catches them teasing her and she responds with a truculent "One day, just you wait and see. I will become Miss America." She wanted to prove to her peers that not only was she not backing down from them, but that she too has a cool side to her.
She continued to follow the series even throughout her adulthood. She counted down the days until the author of Sweet Valley High would release another collection to the series. later on, she finally read an essentially reunion-style novel of the series where the book takes places ten years in the future. She was heavily disappointed in the plot and writing style of the edition. She realized that the book she fell in love with as a teenager was not written as proper as she remembered it to be in her own fantasies. Nonetheless, she continued to indulge herself in a fairytale-like world of her own. A world where her and her husband are illustrious movie stars. Although she understands the reality of her actual life, she never loses her valued sense of imagination.
Alex Lizano
In Gay's essay "I was Once Miss America” the author uses many personal examples from her own childhood. By doing this, it gives the piece of writing a personal tone and it allows the audience to understand the emotional struggles she is going through. With her family being immigrants from Haiti, being the only colored student in school was a real struggle she faced, being constantly bullied. By reading her favorite set of books during her childhood, The Sweet Valley series, she idolized to be like the twin girls who lived in the perfect suburb town: Jessica and Elisabeth. They were the beautiful, blonde, and popular. The books allowed her to enter her own world of imagination. By the end, you see her develop and become independent. In today’s society, it is unfortunate that a problem like this is found at such a young age and is so common. This piece mirrored the beauty standards that we face today.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the reading "I was Once Miss America" by Roxane Gay. Not only did she write it, but she lived it. This story is a about a life of up's and downs. It was made clear how difficult it was growing up with dark skin. Discrimination was awful, and she felt that kids in town were treating her very shitty. Time went on and one of the turning points had of been when Vanessa Williams became Miss America in 1984. This was such a confidence booster for Roxane. She really needed this because she never knew if it was right to stand up for herself to the mean people. Now with a chip on her shoulder, knowing that an African American has powers to win Miss America, she stood up against the popular kids, stood her ground, and I found it interesting because she said she would win Miss America one day! Roxane Gay's story is one many children who are being bullied should look to read. Finally, I did a little research myself and I just find it inspiring that Gay ended up becoming a New York Times top selling author, and a professor at Purdue.
ReplyDeleteRoxanne Gay's short essay, "I Once was Miss America" was a great read. I enjoyed reading it because it was easy to comprehend and had a nice flow the entire piece of writing. Gay did a great job writing about her difficult time in her childhood and her favorite book series. Gay accepted the fact she was different and did not change to satisfy the bullies at her school. She even had the courage to stand up for herself against the bullies and say she would be Miss America one day, even though she knew she would be harassed for saying that. Gay structured the essay in a way that was very detailed and amusing to read. She would talk about her favorite novel, "Sweet Valley High," in one paragraph and then talk about her childhood and how the novel affected how she saw herself. The genre of this article is clearly a drama. Even the book series she was reading was a drama. Gay wishes she had the same drama the main characters of the book series faced in the book due to their popularity. Gay loved the series so much because she lacked drama and was not included with other popular girls at her school.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Dorsey
In Roxane Gay’s short essay, “I Once was Miss America”, she looks back on the struggles of her childhood, being the only Haitian girl in her school. She was constantly bullied and had no friends, but she had the strong desire to be popular at school. On her free time she would get lost in the Sweet Valley High books to escape her daily struggles of being bullied. When she would read these books about the popular, flawless white twins, she would end up comparing herself to them. I feel that if at least one of the main characters in the Sweet Valley High books was an African American girl, Gay’s confidence levels would have been different in her childhood. After Vanessa Williams became Miss America, it gave her hope that she could be beautiful and confident. She finally stood up to the bullies to show them that she was not going to be pushed around by them anymore.
ReplyDeleteCharlize Couto
"I Once Was Miss America" by Roxanne Gay was inspiring for multiple reasons. It tells the story of a young girl who, despite all the bullying and criticism from her peers, felt confidence and beauty within herself. Roxanne was bullied for being the only Haitian girl in her school. She was mocked for wanting to be Miss America, with her peers implying that she was nothing like the stereotypical blonde, skinny girls that so often win. She speaks of the influence the Sweet Valley High novels had on her childhood, which goes to show the widespread impact of literature. Though the novels displayed a very typical setting of most young adult novels, Roxanne took that stereotype and learned to apply it to her own life. Her goal was to become Miss America, and even though she didn't, she reached that level of confidence she was aspiring for. Eventually she learned that being herself was far more than enough.
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed reading Roxane Gray's, "I Once Was Miss America," because I felt a connection to the story. It was as if we were having a conversation and she was talking to me personally. Furthermore, I can relate to Gray in many different ways such as sometimes feeling like an outcast due to my appearance and immersing myself into books. She makes a timeless argument for those who have been put down by others while growing up and how she overcame that subversion. Therefore, reaching and captivating her audience successfully in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThe structure of the piece intrigued me because she goes from mentioning Vanessa Williams to discussing in detail a town and twin sisters that do not even exist. This shift from reality to fiction relates to her overall story and life. Throughout her essay, she speaks on her ideal lifestyle with respect to her reality. I also loved her use of slang such as, "my face and hair beat," and her humorous tone. Gray did a great job of telling a somewhat bittersweet story while still making readers laugh and experience life through her eyes.
Roxanne Gay overcomes many challenges and inspires people in her short story, "I Once Was Miss America". I enjoyed this particularly because I felt the emotion that she wrote with. She had strong emotions in this story but it was not just a fictional story it was her life. It interested me how a less fortunate and not very popular girl idolized the Wakefield twins from Sweet Valley High, two wealthy and popular white girls. I think that reading these books was actually harmful to her because it gave her unreasonable expectations of the way the world worked, especially school and friendships. By the end, you can see that she has developed more realistic views of her life, and is content with being an individual. I think this story is yet another example of how young people idolize what they see on TV or read in books and want to become that. This can be harmful to people however when they see unrealistic standards being set by somebody they idolize.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading, “I Once Was Miss America” by Roxanne Gay, I related to it in many ways. It was a piece about issues of race, a reflection on life, and on a series that Gay once loved. As she compares her current life to the days when she loved Jessica and Elizabeth, the two main characters, it is very interesting to see how she connects them to who she is now. As she is older now, she also realizes that the series isn’t all that she chalked up to be which is very common with people having higher expectations and getting let down by reality. Gay talks about how she was different from everyone else due to the color of her skin which is a very relatable topic in modern society. Her genre within the story is a personal story of her growth as a person and youth overall with the issues she endured.
ReplyDeleteThis short essay "I was once Miss America" was very interesting to me because it was a story of her life and what she went through. Written by Roxane Gay, we are able to see the struggles she faced with her peers and within herself. Since this is written from her childhood memories, it helps the audience connect through a personal understanding. We were able to see how she felt like an outcast through the use of detail and pathos. She has many problems facing beauty and what the world characterized her as. Her favorite novel, "Sweet Valley High" is what made her feel like she needed to be different. There were two beautiful girls in this series and she wanted to be just like them, when it was not possible for her, and just a fantasy. This book genre was drama as well as her article itself. This is a short story that shows that no matter what struggles you face, you can succeed in the end. She grows up, matures, and becomes an amazing woman.
ReplyDelete