Anorexic by Eavan Boland

Suicide is not the answer. Although, many people might think that a statement as simple as “suicide is the answer” is the core or the main point of the poem “Anorexic” by Eavan Boland. But, those that might think the suicide is the central point of the poem are extremely wrong, there is more about that poem than must people can understand, recognize, or want to accept. Boland wrote this poem in 1980 and until today still being one the most extraordinary poem in its simplicity but also very deep in its complicity. Consequently, if a person read the poem once without any background knowledge he or she will understand what the basic idea behind the poem is; however, if the same person read the poem one more time with more information about different topics. Background knowledge about what is Anorexia and the Christian Bible would help to clarify the speaker situations, feelings and decision of commit suicide.

“Flesh is heretic” (line 1) the very first grammar structure of the poem lead us to the conclusion of a war. When the speaker says these words, she was sending a subliminal message saying that her flesh what is the same as her skin is heretic, which means one who rejects. So, it is safe to assume that she thinks her that her body contradicts her. Her body is her enemy. Furthermore, she hates her body. Instantly, she supports her theory with the second sentence in which she claim, “My body is a witch.” (2) In this sentence she compares her body to a witch. A witch is an evil been, a creature that wants to hurt, a scary creature that cast spells. In this comparison speaker imply that her own body wants to hurt her and when the speaker says “How she meshed my head in the half-truths” (7 - 8) is very important because in this particular part of the poem is when the speaker actually describe that the witch is casting spells on her, making her think that she is fat when it is not the actual truth. Now the speaker claims a contra attack when she claims, “Now the