Lack of Body Agency in Advertisements

Allow me to digress from the narrative centers of True Confessions and instead look at the advertisements that complement those narrative pieces. 

The three advertisements I have chosen to appear on this page of the exhibit are among many others that approach women as consumers with the sole goal of pleasing men through an increased appearance. 

The first advertisement, with the headline "Go to bed, Stubborn...He's not going to call!", is placed right inside the front cover. It implies that women who do not use Listerine antiseptic mouthwash will not be able to captivate a man, and therefore will not find love with him. In order to please men, they must have fresh breath. With that said, the advertisement is telling women to change their bodies for men--not for their own health or their own well-being. 

The second advertisement states that women should use fragrance as a means to welcome their husband home. Not only does this ad place women within the domestic sphere, but it also implies that women should only use perfume for the benefit of their partner rather than their own self-image. 

The third advertisement involves women explicitly dressing for the enjoyment of men. Again, as if I have not already exhausted this point, the advertisement works to tell women that they should not dress for their own style, taste, and sense but should rather dress with the sole goal of pleasing men.

Ultimately, these advertisements promise that if women abide by these specific body standards, they will capture the attention of men. And from there, in the context of this publication, they will find love and ultimate happiness. These advertisements suggest that women cede their self-agency to achieve a goal that ultimately upholds patriarchal ideas.