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Analyzing Carol's 'Repulsion'

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Breaking Free: A Feminist Analysis of Carol’s “Repulsion” Kwesi Daniels prof. Stacey Covington ENG 100 9 March 2023 Carol’s poem “Repulsion” from the poetry collection I Am Not Your Final Girl presents a feminist critique of the limitations and oppression faced by women in society. Through vivid imagery and figurative language, Carol expresses a longing for freedom and a desire to break free from the constraints imposed on women by society. In this essay, I will argue that the central message of the poem is the need for women to break free from societal expectations and limitations, and that Carol creates this meaning through the use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism. The opening lines of the poem establish the premise of the piece: “If we were able to evolve as we wished, women would all have wings.” This metaphorical image of wings represents the freedom that women crave. The desire to escape from the constraints of society and be free to live and explore the world as they wish. The use of the conditional tense “if we were able to evolve as we wished” highlights the fact that this freedom is not currently possible for women. The idea of evolution also implies that women are not yet fully formed or realized, and that they still have a long way to go in terms of achieving equality. The second stanza continues …show more content…

The witch-like ability to burst into a cloud of feathers, to soar to the ceiling and out the window, away.” This line serves to emphasize the idea that women can be empowered to break free of oppressive situations. By suggesting that women could have the “witch-like” ability to “burst into a cloud of feathers” and to “soar to the ceiling and out the window”, Repulsion conveys the message that women have the power to escape oppressive situations. Repulsion further emphasizes this message by suggesting that women can “fly away” from oppressive

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