Introduction

This essay will focus on the transformation of female identity from a patriarchal society.

Unfortunately, gender inequality and the struggle of identities are timeless global challenges women still face today. Overcoming traditional gender stereotypes is never easy, and the female models in the following two works serve as motivation to encourage more women to explore their true self and transform into a new, unique identity. This essay will analyze two literary works from the 20th century: the literary text Arranged Marriage by Chitra Divakaruni, featuring a collection of unforgettable stories of Indian immigrant women as they struggle to accommodate American life; and a 1970s non-literary work You’ve come a long way, Baby Virginia Slims advertising campaign, which brands itself under feminism and liberation to empower women to abandon archaic roles and embrace independence to attract greater sales. 

Unleashing the unique "me" in Divakaruni's book Arranged Marriage

To begin with, Divakaruni explored the transformation of female identity from a patriarchal society. In The Word Love, the narrator is torn between the dilemma of being the typical conventional, conservative daughter waiting for an arranged marriage like her mother expected, and her love affair with her foreign boyfriend Rex. For instance, the author employed many internal monologues to represent the narrator's internal turmoil throughout. The narrator also frequently flashbacked to her Indian childhood. One example is the childhood rhymes of a spoiled Indian girl, quote, “Her father was heartbroken, his good name was ruined. ”

The natural, rhythmic tone adds realisticness to the flashback, exploited by the Indian patriarchy to warn and suppress Indian girls from a young age to conform to submissive and obedient expectations, or else they dishonor the family. However, at the end of the chapter, the narrator broke free from the traditional duties and responsibilities chained around her. Although this resulted from an extreme attempt, it is through this desperation did the narrator “wake up” to regain self-identity. For the first time, she firmly decided to, quote, “live for [her]self”  not following the patriarchal identity of being a submissive Indian girl nor an ideal, Western girlfriend. She transformed into a new, independent identity, becoming a free individual no longer subject to either societal expectations.

Similarly, this transformation of female identity is present in the Clothes short story, as Sumita, the narrator, experiences an identity transition. In this arranged marriage, which is a common phenomenon in a patriarchy, Sumita, the bride, knows nothing about her future husband. She repeatedly used rhetorical questions to reassure and calm her down over fear of her unknown fate, highlighting the bizarreness of how deep the archaic sentiment of a submissive, obedient identity is buried in Sumita’s mind, and perhaps inside more Indian girls, spurring a critical attitude from the audience as they sympathize for Sumita’s loss of self-awareness. After she arrived in the US, she sought joy in her new American identity in which she experienced two transformations: physically appreciating her own body and mentally growing seeds of self-love and self-appreciation. 

Specifically at the end of the chapter, Sumita's transformation from a repressed Indian identity to an American one is complete. After her husband’s funeral, her initial perplexity over the future pushed her to change, to become an individual and live for herself.  She said, “In the mirror a woman holds my gaze, her eyes, apprehensive yet steady. She wears a blouse and skirt the color of almonds.” This shift to third person narrative builds a firm, objective tone for Sumita’s determination to transform. The almond blouse and skirt not only echoes with the beginning of her American life where Somesh has given her this gift earlier, emphasizing her new American identity, but the almond color also symbolizes courage and bravery. Altogether, this reinforces Sumita’s resolution to pursue her new life in America. This regain of self-identity and start fresh, instead of suffering in Indian widow duties and be a, quote, “dove with cut-off wings”, prompts and inspires readers, especially Indian girls who are reading this, to see the possibility of change and hope by shedding light on the mental and physical transformation of Sumita’s identity from a patriarchal society. 

A different perspective on You've Come a Long Way, Baby Virginia Slims advertisement campaign: breaking free from 20th century archaic household duties

In 1973, Philip Morris introduced their new brand, Virginia Slims, featuring an attractive and fashionable woman who smiles while holding a cigarette. The slogan "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" links women's smoking with significant events like women's suffrage, promoting the momentum of women's rights. For instance, the 1974 advertisement depicts 3 housewives being restrained by their husbands, shown where the male subjects’ hands were blocking the women’s eyes, ears and mouth symbolizing the patriarchal constraints of household duties that prevent women from obtaining their individuality and independence. The woman on the right is gazing at a glamorous lady wearing bright red, separated from them. 

This posture redirects the audience's focus along her gaze towards the liberated, fashionable model on the right, indicating her desire to break free from the enforced patriarchal identity of a dull housewife and embrace the modern, strong female identity like the model. A sense of progressiveness and a trendy image is created through the contrast with up-to-date moralities and backwards restrictions set by men, emphasizing gender inequality in this patriarchal society. Hence, Virginia Slims Advertisement producers stimulate the global issue of transformation of a modern, feminist identity from past sufferings and hardships in a patriarchal society, igniting sparks for greater women empowerment – to be free, brave and powerful. 

Additionally, in a specific advertisement published in 1976, the physical portrayal of women’s past educational constraints and depressive color scheme indicates the tedious stereotype of women in a patriarchy. The text “laundry quiz Tues” at the upper right corner was a direct association to conventional duties women used to be linked to in a patriarchal society. The outdated, dark-colored and oversized, puffy dress establishes a sense of obsolescence and backwardness, and reminds female users of their hardships in this patriarchy before feminism was born, prompting their resistance to the old, limited identity and desire to seek release. Specifically, one student’s gaze towards the Virginia Slims model demonstrates her eagerness to drop her patriarchal household “laundry” duties and transform into a revolutionary feminist icon. 

The illustration on women’s unequal right to receive the same education as men establishes an anti-nostalgia that tries to empower Virginia Slims’s customers to reflect on the archaic tradition before, and value the modernism and freedom constructed in the new identity. Though it is true that an aim of the Virginia Slims company is to increase consumption, they did it in a way that not only gives positive recognition to women, but also encourages them to break traditional stereotypes, inspiring transformations to a new, independent identity. They successfully presented the Virginia Slims brand image as the long-wanted brand for feminism, in a way that links and promotes true happiness for women with their cigarettes. This public call for feminist transformation in a time of patriarchal conservatism is remarkable, and undoubtedly a positive notion for greater gender equality to take place in the future. 

Conclusion

In a nutshell, although created for different purposes, both Arranged Marriage and Virginia Slims campaign sheds light on the transformation of female identity from a patriarchal society in a positive way that breaks traditional gender stereotypes and promotes greater gender equality. In other words, the regain of self-identity and the realization of women to live for themselves is rather revolutionary considering the time they were both published in, which is the 20th century. Looking at the world today, people were fighting across the globe against gender inequality. If we can combine the two approaches, utilizing the advertising promotional power of Virginia Slims to propagate the issues presented in Arranged Marriage, Divakruni’s book would serve as an active wake-up call to readers worldwide, calling for attention to sufferings and hardships of immigrant Indian girls.