Temptations

Through the analysis of Bordo's Unbearable Weight against what we learned in Becoming a Marihuana User it can be concluded that there are similarities in learning to smoke weed and learning to be anorexic. People who partake in these behaviors do so because they seek pleasure as well as control. The desire for control can come from an unlimited amount of scenarios; marijuana users or anorexics use their actions to have control over their body. And the pleasure a marijuana user or an anorexic feels is why the lifestyle becomes so desirable. Both of the behaviors are learned. There is not a genetic component to partaking in the activities, the experiences that people have effect them to be a marijuana user or not, or be anorexic/bulimic or not.

I think that what is being depicted in Bouguereau's Temptation illustrates the learning of an eating disorder. The women is tempting the young girl with the enticing apple. The apple looks juicy and delicious and appealing. This represents the appealing qualities of an eating disorder; being thin, being in control, being noticed etc. The young girl is somewhat mesmerized by the apple, she's also slightly leaning forward, you can tell that she is attracted to it. And the women who is holding the apple is facilitating passing it down. First of all, the look she is giving to the younger girl is almost saying 'doesn't this look good? I know you want this'. And she is the one tempting the younger girl with the apple. Tempting the girl with the sin that is representative of. An eating disorder starts in the same way. It seems like a good thing until it enslaves the person and causes them harm.