Homage To My Hips Essay Example

space for movement compared to women who are not as curvaceous.

Clifton expresses hope for the future and acknowledges the past through her hips. She declares that "these hips have never been enslaved, they go where they want to go, they do what they want to do" (8-10). This highlights how the hips have never been limited by societal expectations or norms, regardless of gender or body size. It also relates to the author's cultural heritage. The concept of enslavement symbolizes the significance of breaking societal conventions and staying true to one's own convictions in achieving freedom from oppression.

The main idea of this text is to empower women, encouraging them to be courageous and unafraid in challenging the societal constraints placed upon them. Just as slavery was abolished, it is possible for these limitations imposed on housewives to also be eliminated. Clifton urges women to venture into new paths and pursue unconventional choices, even if they go against societal norms. Drawing inspiration from Clifton's personal journey as a poet who pursued her dreams, readers are reminded of their own ability to shape their destinies. The role of Clifton as an author further reinforces the idea that women can become self-reliant individuals.

Despite being dominated by a white patriarchy, Clifton demonstrates that women possess an irresistible power over men: "these hips are magic hips. / I have known them/ to put a spell on a man and/ spin him like a top!" (12-15). This control women have in the realm of intimacy grants them power, which can be used as a manipulative tool to acquire their desires. Consequently, women can exercise some influence over men,

making the notion of empowerment and independence for women not as unrealistic as it may seem.

In addition to its metaphorical meaning, this passage also conveys a literal message. Clifton emphasizes the advantages of having a curvaceous and appealing body as a woman, challenging the notion that having wider hips is always dismissive. She highlights that men desire women with an hourglass or coke-bottle figure, something visually pleasing and worthy of boasting about. This understanding explains how she can captivate men, defying societal norms that suggest a man would not be attracted to a larger woman and might conceal it even if he is.

Clifton urges women to embrace their physical and sexual power positively and productively. Her poem "Homage to My Hips" serves as an inspiration for women of various sizes and shapes worldwide, encouraging them to assert themselves, value their independence, and recognize their abilities and self-worth. Additionally, she speaks directly to women facing body image challenges, urging them to have confidence in themselves and reject societal pressures that breed pessimism or negativity.

By utilizing imagery, symbolism, and metaphor, Clifton effectively illustrates and elucidates her concepts of women's uniqueness and self-assurance. These literary devices lend depth and importance to the ideas she communicates to her audience. Despite being brief and straightforward, the passage comments on women's perception in the author's era and offers a positive perspective on not only curvier hips but on women in general.