Virginia Woolf, author of “Two Cafeterias,” extrapolates on the underlying oppression of women by analyzing unwarranted, sexist treatment on a college campus. During the course of her piece, she seldom complains about the inequities and injustices that take in our world modestly explores the rift that segregates men and women through her use of figurative language. It is evident that Woolf uses food as a metaphor for sexual discrimination. Her writing is riddled with contrast as she examines the sweeping variance between the men and women’s “luncheon parties”. Virginia Woolf focuses on dissimilarity in her tone and diction between the men and women’s luncheons to demonstrate the unjust treatment at hand.
The segregation is undeniable, as Woolf describes the duckling prepared for the men that reminded her of “the spots on the flanks of a doe,” to the women’s meal which consisted of beef from “rumps of cattle in a muddy market.” During the men’s luncheon, their wineglasses had been “flushed” with wine. A “silent servingman” was waiting on them head and foot, catering to their every need. The women were not so providential when it came to their …show more content…
The men reveled in “succulent” food prepared by the finest chefs. They were served “soup and salmon and ducklings” paired with “the whitest cream.” Woolf uses terms like “profound” and “sweet” to define the concoctions served at the luncheon. The food was beyond marvelous, to belittle the meal would be an “insult.” Despite the magnificence of the meal, the men seldom mention the food, as if lovely sustenance was expected rather than appreciated. As she describes the women’s luncheon, Woolf pronounces the food “dry” and “plain.” Not only did her word choice become dull when she described the women’s meal, she also began to lose sophistication in her diction to compare the liveliness of the women’s luncheon to the
The segregation is undeniable, as Woolf describes the duckling prepared for the men that reminded her of “the spots on the flanks of a doe,” to the women’s meal which consisted of beef from “rumps of cattle in a muddy market.” During the men’s luncheon, their wineglasses had been “flushed” with wine. A “silent servingman” was waiting on them head and foot, catering to their every need. The women were not so providential when it came to their …show more content…
The men reveled in “succulent” food prepared by the finest chefs. They were served “soup and salmon and ducklings” paired with “the whitest cream.” Woolf uses terms like “profound” and “sweet” to define the concoctions served at the luncheon. The food was beyond marvelous, to belittle the meal would be an “insult.” Despite the magnificence of the meal, the men seldom mention the food, as if lovely sustenance was expected rather than appreciated. As she describes the women’s luncheon, Woolf pronounces the food “dry” and “plain.” Not only did her word choice become dull when she described the women’s meal, she also began to lose sophistication in her diction to compare the liveliness of the women’s luncheon to the