Sunday, January 8, 2017

TOW #14 - "The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo" by Amy Schumer (IRB)


            Amy Schumer, American comedian, is best known for her raunchy stand-up, entailing hilariously inappropriate stories from her past; but what many do not know is that behind the vulgar humor, she is a quiet, small-town girl. In her autobiography, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, she recalls anecdotes from her past that are without a doubt laugh-out-loud. Specifically, in an early chapter entitled, I am an Introvert, Schumer explains why she is “the textbook definition” of one by employing an analogy and simile to playfully mock the introvert stereotype. Schumer begins to define an introvert using an analogy, where she says, “If you’re a true introvert, other people are basically energy vampires. You don’t hate them; you just have to be strategic about when you expose yourself to them – like the sun. They give you life, sure, but they can also burn you” (Schumer 15). Schumer compares introverts to vampires, and other people to the sun because a vampire does need some life, just as all people need others. However, at the the same time, some people value much alone time as it is a time of pure reflection and recuperation, two key aspects to writing an autobiography. In addition, shortly after, Schumer draws on the process of being an introvert and going to public events. Including a humorous simile, she states, “Usually I will find a corner to hide in and immediately begin haunting it like the girl from The Ring, just hoping no one will want to come talk to me” (Schumer 19). Again, Schumer compares an introvert to a frightening creature, which ties into the fact that society views most introverts as company-haters; to counter-act this negative persona, Schumer jokingly exaggerates it to a topic which all people can relate to – public events and horror movies. Therefore, as Schumer gets closer with her readers through personal experience, she also attempts to balance out how some people view introverts due to the fact that she is a proud one herself.


Visual: http://www.thewrap.com/amy-schumer-i-didnt-have-a-perfect-/

Image result for amy schumer

Caption: "The Girl Herself"

No comments:

Post a Comment