Why does the author contrast Shirley Temple and Oompah Lompahs? What meaning do you take away from this contrast?
Lovey explains how much she would love to be just like Shirley Temple “with perfect blond ringlets and pink cheek and pout lips, bright eyes...” (3) Shirley Temple movies made her cry. It made her want to miss Sunday School because of the happy ending. She said that she would cry because she was happy. And how she wished that she could have a happy ending just like Shirley.
Lovey’s mother decides to perm her hair for her. She explained that when she “pau” (60) she will look like Farrah Fawcett, Angie Dickinson, or Shirley Temple. When her mother was finished she had an Afro. Cal gave Lovey a nickname for her hair, Oompah Loompah.
Shirley Temple and Oompah Loompahs have maybe only one thing in common, they sing. I believe that the author contrast the two because they are totally opposites in appearances but yet they both live in a perfect world. Shirley is cute girl with perfect ringlets and opposed to Oompah Loompahs with their ugly skin and funky hair. I think it doesn’t matter what you look like as long as your happy where you are.
Hi Penny,
ReplyDeleteYour last point is crucial, but it's unfortunately a lesson Lovey hasn't learned yet. I love the contrast between Shirley Temple and Oompah Loompahs. As you mention, both sing and "live in a perfect world" but the main difference is appearance. Shirley Temple is regarded as cute, while Oompah Loompahs are not quite human and a little unsettling. Rather than become a cute version of Temple, Lovey's perm makes her feel even more like an outcast.
Do you all think Lovey's preoccupation with looks stems from the media? Is it a normal part of growing up? Is it made worse by the media? Also, does the story make an argument about the need for cultural representation in the media?
Thanks for your insights.
Take care,
Lauren
Penny,
ReplyDeleteI liked how you described the contrast between Shirley Temple and Oompah Lompahs. I can see what you mean how those characters lived in a perfect world with happiness. However, Lovey doesn't live in a perfect world, who does anyways. But people describes perfect when life is full of happiness and Lovey does not experience much happiness. And the desire to have appearances like Shirley Temple or Farrah Faucet was all she wanted but instead was called an Oompah Lompahm, which can be hurtful and builds low self-esteem for herself. Which is probably why she describes her life with such humor.
Penny,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see we have came a long way from the Shirley Temple day's on TV. I believe that everyone would love a story book ending but growing up when Loviely was a child thats all you seen was the perfect little white girl with the perfect hair and the perfect dress.
I'm glad that we have a wider range of views on TV so children understand that everyone is perfect in their own way.