Ribbons

Author's Note: Analyses of the short story "Ribbons". 

Beauty is pain. A phrase often used to describe the suffering women go through to achieve a look. America to China, despite cultural differences, have hurt within the definition of beauty. “Ribbons” by Laurence Yep, shows the superficiality of beauty in China. Parents would wrap their little girls feet with satin ribbons to halt the growth of their feet. Paw-Paw, the grandmother of Stacy, felt this torture first hand. She works around her deformity but lives her life in pure embarrassment and with insecurities. A never ending ache. The shoes resembles the cultural differences between Paw-Paw and Stacy, for Paw-Paw they resemble the pain and deformity she goes through. For Stacy, it’s the beauty and the love within her dance.

Although China has beauty through feet America is not much different. Surgeries and processes are applied for the perfect body or facial beauty. Pain and suffering for something so superficial. No one should have to do that for beauty. Beauty should be defined as something from the inside. But it happens all around the world and is a problem unsolvable as long as people are judged on their outer appearance.

“Ribbons”, the name of this short story is what this piece revolves around. The binds of life that can hold you up or pull you down. The title even reflects on the whole piece itself, these ribbons symbolize the bond and respect for cultural differences between Paw-Paw and Stacy.