[...] I knew from the very beginning that this paper would only touch upon
some questions and that it would be impossible to investigate the whole field of marginalisation. But to deal with
the topic of marginalisation would help me to answer some questions and - what I consider more important - to
make me aware of social behavioural structures and attitudes towards illness. Because it is society that
determines our perception towards illness and finally creates strong prejudices about some diseases. And in my
opinion, this awareness of society’s power and influence is worth more than any all-including answer to questions
concerning illness and stigma. Furthermore, the topic of stigma and marginalisation allowed me to cover several disciplines, for example the disciplines of sociology, (social) psychology, medicine and anthropology. Thus, I had an insight into different areas and read books of diverse disciplines, not only of medicine. To decide about the book which I was going to analyse was not so simple at the beginning. Nevertheless, with the help of Dr. Franziska Gygax I finally decided to examine Audre Lorde’s book The Cancer Journals, since Audre Lorde was marginalised not only because of her breast cancer, but also because of her race and homosexual love. I considered this “double marginalisation” as an interesting starting point.
My paper is structured into two main parts: The first main part is about theoretical concepts to introduce
the theory of social roles and illness roles and the concept of bodily form as a social role as well. After that I
examined the meaning of stigma and shame of illness and also referred to an example of a stigmatized woman in
South India. In the second main part of the paper I analysed important situations of marginalisation in The
Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde. Audre Lorde, who tried to work up her experience of having breast cancer
and to encourage women with breast cancer as well, is presented in a short biography, since some biographical
background of her might be helpful for the analysis. This biography is followed by the book analysis, which is
structured by some keywords which exemplify moments of marginalisation in Audre Lorde’s life.
I would like to finish this introduction with two definitions: The definitions of two important terms which
are my guidelines throughout the whole paper and are mentioned in the title as well. I define them with the help of
some quotations, but also how I do understand them.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
II THEORETICAL PART
II.1 THEORETICAL CONCEPTS OF SOCIAL STATUS AND ILLNESS ROLES
II.1.1. BRANT WENEGRAT’S CONCEPT OF SOCIAL (ILLNESS) ROLES
II.1.2. BODILY FORM AS A SOCIAL ROLE
II.2 THE STIGMA OF ILLNESS - MARGINALISATION THROUGH ILLNESS
II.2.1. THE STIGMA AND SHAME OF ILLNESS
III ANALYSIS OT THE CANCER JOURNALS BY AUDRE LORDE
III.1. WHO IS AUDRE LORDE? – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY
III.2. ANALYSIS OF AUDRE LORDE’S ILLNESS ROLE IN THE CANCER JOURNALS – MOMENTS OF MARGINALISATION
III.2.1. DIFFERENCE VS. CONFORMITY
III.2.2. SILENCE AND INVISIBILITY
III.2.3. ISOLATION AND SEPARATION
III.2.4. FEMININITY AND SEXUALITY
III.2.5. MORTALITY
4 CONCLUSION
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the negative social impacts of illness on an individual's life, focusing on the concepts of stigma and marginalisation. The primary research goal is to understand how society dictates behavioral structures toward the ill and how patients, specifically Audre Lorde in "The Cancer Journals," navigate the resulting "double marginalisation" caused by breast cancer, race, and sexual orientation.
- Theoretical analysis of social roles, illness roles, and bodily form as a social construct.
- Exploration of how stigma creates shame, alienation, and a "spoiled identity."
- Biographical study of Audre Lorde and her self-definition as a black lesbian feminist poet.
- Detailed analysis of marginalisation moments in "The Cancer Journals," including silence, invisibility, and the pressure of conformity.
- Reflection on mortality, body image, and the role of prosthesis in breast cancer recovery.
Excerpt from the Book
III.2.1. DIFFERENCE VS. CONFORMITY
Audre Lorde’s fear of incompleteness and difference is a prominent issue in her book The Cancer Journals because she knew about the social pressure of conformity and the loneliness of people who do not look or behave socially concurring. She was aware of the fact that difference often marginalises. Therefore, after her mastectomy, she was afraid of being different in appearance and personal experience of illness. Nevertheless, every woman who is affected by breast cancer is confronted by her difference and the fact that after mastectomy, she has to lead a different life in order to prevent the recurrence of cancer. But many breast cancer patients are not capable to accept this personal challenge and try to escape difference by using prosthesis.
Each of us struggles daily with the pressure of conformity and the loneliness of difference from which those choices [silence, prosthesis, etc.] seem to offer escape (Lorde, 1980: 10).
Although, it is a very difficult task to accept a different self and way of living, Audre Lorde did not accept the fact that it was so difficult to turn her life around and to adapt herself to her new social identity and finally began her struggle against the pressure of conformity. Only some time after the mastectomy, she was willing to confront her fears, to be differently and saw it as a personal chance for individual growth. Therefore, she tried to deal with the breast cancer as best she can, even though she did not know, whether she did it rightly. One of her first steps was to reject prosthesis. By denying prosthesis because “[p]rosthesis offers the empty comfort of ‘Nobody will know the difference’” (Lorde, 1980: 61), she refused to hide her difference, her new self.
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter outlines the motivation for studying the effects of illness on personal life and defines the key terms "stigma" and "marginalisation" as the guiding framework for the paper.
II THEORETICAL PART: This section establishes the sociological foundation by explaining Brant Wenegrat’s concepts of social/illness roles and analyzing the cultural pressure of bodily appearance on female identity.
II.1 THEORETICAL CONCEPTS OF SOCIAL STATUS AND ILLNESS ROLES: This chapter introduces the sociological perspective on how individuals adopt new, often negative, roles when faced with life-threatening diseases, emphasizing the power dynamic between medical institutions and patients.
II.1.1. BRANT WENEGRAT’S CONCEPT OF SOCIAL (ILLNESS) ROLES: This section defines roles as behavioral patterns in social settings and discusses the difficulty of adopting stigmatized roles when a person is forced to change their social position due to illness.
II.1.2. BODILY FORM AS A SOCIAL ROLE: This chapter explores how Western society equates female beauty with a "perfect" body, leading to unrealistic standards that can trigger conditions like anorexia or obsession with breast appearance.
II.2 THE STIGMA OF ILLNESS - MARGINALISATION THROUGH ILLNESS: This section investigates why certain diseases carry deeper stigma than others, focusing on how society projects negative attributes onto those who do not fit cultural norms.
II.2.1. THE STIGMA AND SHAME OF ILLNESS: This chapter examines the psychological impact of stigma, noting how it leads to internalized "spoiled identities" and self-isolation, using childlessness in South India as a cross-cultural example.
III ANALYSIS OT THE CANCER JOURNALS BY AUDRE LORDE: This section applies the previously established theoretical framework to Audre Lorde’s personal account of breast cancer.
III.1. WHO IS AUDRE LORDE? – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY: This chapter provides necessary background on Lorde’s identity as a black lesbian feminist and her struggle against multiple forms of societal oppression.
III.2. ANALYSIS OF AUDRE LORDE’S ILLNESS ROLE IN THE CANCER JOURNALS – MOMENTS OF MARGINALISATION: This chapter acts as the analytical core, deconstructing the specific ways Lorde experiences and challenges social exclusion due to her cancer diagnosis.
III.2.1. DIFFERENCE VS. CONFORMITY: This section explores Lorde's rejection of social pressures to hide her mastectomy, framing her choice to be "different" as an act of personal growth.
III.2.2. SILENCE AND INVISIBILITY: This chapter discusses Lorde’s crusade to break the silence surrounding breast cancer, arguing that silence serves only to further the marginalisation of affected women.
III.2.3. ISOLATION AND SEPARATION: This section analyzes how Lorde dealt with the "untouchable" status imposed on her and the importance of finding community with other women.
III.2.4. FEMININITY AND SEXUALITY: This chapter examines how Lorde redefines her identity beyond the male-dominated view of female attractiveness and the role of prosthetics.
III.2.5. MORTALITY: This final analytical chapter discusses how integrating the reality of death into daily life allowed Lorde to find deeper meaning and strength.
4 CONCLUSION: This chapter synthesizes the main findings, emphasizing that Lorde’s acceptance of her new identity allowed her to transcend her illness and emerge as an empowered individual.
5 BIBLIOGRAPHY: This section lists the academic sources, including sociological texts and primary literature, that informed the study.
Keywords
Breast cancer, Audre Lorde, stigma, marginalisation, illness role, social status, femininity, identity, mastectomy, prosthesis, sociology, mortality, silence, invisibility, body image
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this paper?
The paper explores the negative effects of illness on an individual's social life, with a specific focus on the social mechanisms of stigma and marginalisation, using Audre Lorde's "The Cancer Journals" as a primary case study.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Key themes include the social construction of illness roles, the impact of beauty standards on female identity, the function of silence in marginalisation, and the importance of self-acceptance in the face of life-altering health crises.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The goal is to demonstrate how society creates prejudices against certain illnesses and to show, through Audre Lorde's experience, how individuals can confront and transcend these social barriers by refusing to adhere to prescribed, "normalizing" behaviors.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating sociology, social psychology, medicine, and anthropology to build a theoretical framework, which is then applied to a literary and biographical analysis of Audre Lorde’s work.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body is divided into a theoretical section that defines social and illness roles and a practical section that analyzes specific moments of marginalisation in Lorde's life—specifically her struggles with silence, invisibility, body image, and mortality.
Which keywords characterize this work?
The most important keywords are breast cancer, stigma, marginalisation, illness role, femininity, identity, mastectomy, prosthesis, and mortality.
How does the author define "marginalisation" in this context?
Marginalisation is defined as the condition of being excluded from one's social environment because one does not conform to socially established standards, often leading to psychic conflicts and the adoption of a "spoiled identity."
Why is the example of childlessness in South India included in the analysis?
The example is included to illustrate that stigma is not universal but culturally specific, providing a comparative perspective to show how social status and identity are deeply rooted in cultural narratives.
What is Audre Lorde's stance on breast prosthesis?
Lorde rejects prosthesis, arguing that it is a tool for "cosmetic sham" designed to keep women silent and to hide the reality of breast cancer to satisfy male-defined standards of femininity.
How does the author conclude their analysis of Audre Lorde?
The author concludes that Lorde is an admirable figure because she accepted her new identity and used her experience—despite the pain and social isolation—to achieve personal growth and full maturity as a respectful personality.
- Quote paper
- Isabelle Fol (Author), 2003, The Stigma of Illness - Marginalisation through illness in deh Cancer Jounals by Audre Lorde, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/44208
