Anorexic: Plot

“Anorexic”: Plot

Metaphorical representation: Eavan Boland’s “Anorexic” is not a narrative poem in the traditional sense. It doesn’t recount a linear storyline but rather presents a metaphorical portrayal of a woman striving for perfection through the psychological illness, anorexia nervosa.
Depiction of Anorexia: The speaker recounts her personal experience battling anorexia. She views it as a form of control, a self-willed struggle for purity, but it is also depicted as a toxic relationship with self-image and societal expectations.
Rejection of societal norms: The speaker rejects societal norms of femininity and womanhood by starving herself. She also resents traditional gender roles and societal definitions of beauty.
Spiritual Connotations: The poem encompasses a variety of themes – from illness and eating disorders to rebellion and spiritual starvation. The speaker’s physical self-starvation mirrors her spiritual hunger.
Shift of power: As the poem progresses, it is revealed that in her obsession for perfection, the speaker has adopted a destructive path. The speaker believes that she has gained control and power over her body, but in reality, the disease has power over her.
Tension and Resolution: Towards the end of the poem, it’s clear that the speaker’s obsession with self-punishment and control has resulted in a skeletal figure, a living death. There is no further development or resolution as such, leaving the reader to ponder the tragic consequences of the speaker’s pathological pursuit of self-denial and control.