For my english project, I wanted to do something that had to do with what I am interested, which is fashion, and the way that people dress themselves and compose their outfits. Since women are stereotypically those who care most about fashion, I found it easier to find examples of women that represent the stylistic evolution that occurs throughout the ages of women from infancy to adulthood. These collages were created to represent the influence that both society and surroundings have upon people, as in Joseph Conrad's
Heard of Darkness.
The collage of the adult female reflects the influence of Western Civilization in Europe. Looking at each outfit, it is clear to see that each one is different, often complicated with many different pieces and accessories. Each woman pictured has a different hair style, and different makeup on to represent their individuality. Just as many fashionistas would consider these women to be the ideal stylish individual, much of western society considered the industrialized western culture to be dominant, and the ideal that every culture must strive for. The colonization of Africa, Asia, and South America by various European nations was the result of this dominance. And by looking at the clothing of the women's outfits, and then comparing certain aspects of this clothing to those in the following collages, it can be seen that the same way that the dominant culture had imposed its ways upon Africa, Asia, and South America is the same way that younger and younger children are being made to resemble adults as reflected by their clothing.
The adolescent female represents a middle ground between the intricate and complicated Western society and the more simplistic culture of Africa. While there is a focus on accessorizing with scarves, bags, jewelry, hairpieces, etc, there is also this youth that emerges from all the clothing with the different colors and fun prints in the clothing. In terms of
Heart of Darkness, this transitional stage between the dominant Western culture, and the minority African culture can be represented by those native Africans who had become "civilized" (according to western standards) and worked on the side of the European leaders who were running the operations along the Congo River.
Finally we have the children/infant outfits. These outfits are very very simplistic in form and (for the most part) in color. With the exception of the child in the leopard printed coat, (which I will discuss later) these children tend to have more simplistic clothing, represented in both the fit and shape of the clothing. The infant one pieces represent the ultimate pureness of an African society not touched by western influence. However, as the children grow from infants to toddlers, to children, the outfits tend to become more complicated. And even at the age of a child, children are encouraged to wear mild accessories such as inexpensive jewelery and sparkley shoes and belts. Brighter colors begin to appear representing a beginning influence on how the clothing of grown women is channelled through to clothing for younger children. The image of the young child in the coat, I found, was an image that represented how society's influence can sometimes cause too much of a rapid change in individuals. The coat is more complicated than it needs to be for this child representing what can happen (and eventually did happen to the minority African culture after the dominant Western culture came around).
The collage of the adult female reflects the influence of Western Civilization in Europe. Looking at each outfit, it is clear to see that each one is different, often complicated with many different pieces and accessories. Each woman pictured has a different hair style, and different makeup on to represent their individuality. Just as many fashionistas would consider these women to be the ideal stylish individual, much of western society considered the industrialized western culture to be dominant, and the ideal that every culture must strive for. The colonization of Africa, Asia, and South America by various European nations was the result of this dominance. And by looking at the clothing of the women's outfits, and then comparing certain aspects of this clothing to those in the following collages, it can be seen that the same way that the dominant culture had imposed its ways upon Africa, Asia, and South America is the same way that younger and younger children are being made to resemble adults as reflected by their clothing.
The adolescent female represents a middle ground between the intricate and complicated Western society and the more simplistic culture of Africa. While there is a focus on accessorizing with scarves, bags, jewelry, hairpieces, etc, there is also this youth that emerges from all the clothing with the different colors and fun prints in the clothing. In terms of Heart of Darkness, this transitional stage between the dominant Western culture, and the minority African culture can be represented by those native Africans who had become "civilized" (according to western standards) and worked on the side of the European leaders who were running the operations along the Congo River.
Finally we have the children/infant outfits. These outfits are very very simplistic in form and (for the most part) in color. With the exception of the child in the leopard printed coat, (which I will discuss later) these children tend to have more simplistic clothing, represented in both the fit and shape of the clothing. The infant one pieces represent the ultimate pureness of an African society not touched by western influence. However, as the children grow from infants to toddlers, to children, the outfits tend to become more complicated. And even at the age of a child, children are encouraged to wear mild accessories such as inexpensive jewelery and sparkley shoes and belts. Brighter colors begin to appear representing a beginning influence on how the clothing of grown women is channelled through to clothing for younger children. The image of the young child in the coat, I found, was an image that represented how society's influence can sometimes cause too much of a rapid change in individuals. The coat is more complicated than it needs to be for this child representing what can happen (and eventually did happen to the minority African culture after the dominant Western culture came around). 
1 comment:
I love it!
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