Compare the themes in Eat Me and The Map Woman
Significantly, both Agbabi and Duffy portray the theme of insecurity to be central within
women. In ‘Eat me’, Agbabi displays this through the lady’s helplessness and
dependence towards her husband or partner. Due to her appearance and weight, she
only finds her security in her husband as she understands he is the only one who will
admire her and feed her food. This is evident when she, the narrator, states; “I was his
Jacuzzi. But he was my cook, my only pleasure was the rush of fast food” The metaphor
‘Jacuzzi’ delineates connotations of pleasure and relaxation, something her husband
finds in her. The fact that he was her ‘cook’ portrays her dependence on him. As well as
feeding her food, it may be considered that he also feeds her ‘life’ as she has essentially
no one else. When she states “to watch me swell like forbidden fruit”, the simile further
crystallises her insecurity as the diction ‘forbidden’ connotes abnormality and her
realisation of her figure being atypical. This may be because of women who are typically
viewed as being skinny and the common stereotype that overweight women are not
perceived as beautiful or even healthy. The religious reference (the fall of Adam and Eve
with the forbidden fruit), is utilised in this phrase, further highlighting her diffidence of
her appearance and personality. Agbabi also illuminates insecurity through the structure
of the poem. The use of anaphora on the seventh stanza lists her restrictions to the daily
things she now cannot do, and does not feel part of society anymore. The phrase “full-
fat milk” is ironic and normally, people who are overweight tend to have substances that
would reduce their weight, instead of ones that would increase it. Similarly, Duffy also
portrays a sense of insecurity through the ‘map-woman’ who attempts to be prolonged
from her home-town, but finds it difficult to do so. This is made evident when she is
faced with memories, which she finds within parts in her body. “find yourself in the
coffee house nearby, waiting for time to start, your tiny face trapped in the window’s
bottle-thick glass like a fly” The diction “coffee house” juxtaposes the concept of her
speaking about the milestones of life, whereas she talks about the coffee house which is
not so relevant. The simile reiterates how she is ‘trapped’ in her memories. Her
insecurity is portrayed also through the simile as it displays how little she thinks of
herself. The reader would acknowledge how isolated and self-doubting she feels outside
her home as she ‘waits for time to start’ and is possible that she is not emotionally ready
to part from where she spent her childhood. Additionally, the map-woman reminisces
her past through her physical body and marks. “that line there, the edge of a fingernail
pressed on her flesh –in the rain, leaving your empty cup, to hurry on after calling their
name?” The fact that “a fingernail pressed on her flesh” is typical of a bruise, suggesting
that possibly she gets abused. It may also signify her depression, as it is pressing down
her and troubling her insecurities. The reader may be aware of her constantly being
reminded of her past and her culture, hence becoming more vulnerable to physical
marks on her body. This is further exemplified when it states “the map gleamed on her
skin, blue-black ink from a nib”. The fact that the map ‘gleamed’ defines how when she
looks back at her previous life, she cannot escape the appearance of the town and
realises that those thoughts are permanent. Therefore, both Agbabi and Duffy
demonstrate the insecurities of women to be inescapable.
Significantly, both Agbabi and Duffy portray the theme of insecurity to be central within
women. In ‘Eat me’, Agbabi displays this through the lady’s helplessness and
dependence towards her husband or partner. Due to her appearance and weight, she
only finds her security in her husband as she understands he is the only one who will
admire her and feed her food. This is evident when she, the narrator, states; “I was his
Jacuzzi. But he was my cook, my only pleasure was the rush of fast food” The metaphor
‘Jacuzzi’ delineates connotations of pleasure and relaxation, something her husband
finds in her. The fact that he was her ‘cook’ portrays her dependence on him. As well as
feeding her food, it may be considered that he also feeds her ‘life’ as she has essentially
no one else. When she states “to watch me swell like forbidden fruit”, the simile further
crystallises her insecurity as the diction ‘forbidden’ connotes abnormality and her
realisation of her figure being atypical. This may be because of women who are typically
viewed as being skinny and the common stereotype that overweight women are not
perceived as beautiful or even healthy. The religious reference (the fall of Adam and Eve
with the forbidden fruit), is utilised in this phrase, further highlighting her diffidence of
her appearance and personality. Agbabi also illuminates insecurity through the structure
of the poem. The use of anaphora on the seventh stanza lists her restrictions to the daily
things she now cannot do, and does not feel part of society anymore. The phrase “full-
fat milk” is ironic and normally, people who are overweight tend to have substances that
would reduce their weight, instead of ones that would increase it. Similarly, Duffy also
portrays a sense of insecurity through the ‘map-woman’ who attempts to be prolonged
from her home-town, but finds it difficult to do so. This is made evident when she is
faced with memories, which she finds within parts in her body. “find yourself in the
coffee house nearby, waiting for time to start, your tiny face trapped in the window’s
bottle-thick glass like a fly” The diction “coffee house” juxtaposes the concept of her
speaking about the milestones of life, whereas she talks about the coffee house which is
not so relevant. The simile reiterates how she is ‘trapped’ in her memories. Her
insecurity is portrayed also through the simile as it displays how little she thinks of
herself. The reader would acknowledge how isolated and self-doubting she feels outside
her home as she ‘waits for time to start’ and is possible that she is not emotionally ready
to part from where she spent her childhood. Additionally, the map-woman reminisces
her past through her physical body and marks. “that line there, the edge of a fingernail
pressed on her flesh –in the rain, leaving your empty cup, to hurry on after calling their
name?” The fact that “a fingernail pressed on her flesh” is typical of a bruise, suggesting
that possibly she gets abused. It may also signify her depression, as it is pressing down
her and troubling her insecurities. The reader may be aware of her constantly being
reminded of her past and her culture, hence becoming more vulnerable to physical
marks on her body. This is further exemplified when it states “the map gleamed on her
skin, blue-black ink from a nib”. The fact that the map ‘gleamed’ defines how when she
looks back at her previous life, she cannot escape the appearance of the town and
realises that those thoughts are permanent. Therefore, both Agbabi and Duffy
demonstrate the insecurities of women to be inescapable.
