Análise de um poema sobre o papel da mulher na sociedade - THE TYPE - Sarah Key - Aula de 12º ano - Inglês 8 - Escola Secundária Jaime Moniz

 

The T.Y.P.E - Sarah Key

If you grow up the type of woman men want to look at,

you can let them look at you. But do not mistake eyes for hands.

Or windows. Or mirrors.

Let them see what a woman looks like.

They may not have ever seen one before.

If you grow up the type of woman men want to touch, you can let them touch you.

Sometimes it is not you they are reaching for.

Sometimes it is a bottle. A door. A sandwich.

A Pulitzer. Another woman.

But their hands found you first.

Do not mistake yourself for a guardian.

Or a muse. Or a promise. Or a victim. Or a snack.

You are a woman. Skin and bones. Veins and nerves.

Hair and sweat.

You are not made of metaphors. Not apologies.

Not excuses.(…)

1. What is the significance of the distinction between "eyes" and "hands" in the first stanza?
• The distinction emphasizes the difference between looking and touching, highlighting the idea that being seen does not equate to being physically available. The poet warns against conflating observation with ownership or entitlement, reinforcing the autonomy of the woman being observed.
2. How does the poem challenge traditional metaphors used to describe women?
• The poem rejects the idea that women should be seen as symbols—muses, promises, or victims. Instead, it asserts that women are real, physical beings, not abstract ideas or objects for others to project meaning onto. This directly challenges the way literature and society often romanticize or diminish women through metaphor.
3. What is the effect of the repetition of "If you grow up the type of woman men want..." at the beginning of the first two stanzas?
• The repetition reinforces the inevitability of certain societal expectations placed on women, emphasizing that their identity is often shaped by male desire. However, by following it with affirmations of agency ("you can let them look" / "you can let them touch"), the poet introduces the possibility of choice and control over one's own body.
4. What does the poem suggest about the way men interact with women in relation to their own desires or needs?
• The poem implies that men often see women as substitutes for their own unfulfilled desires. The comparison to a "bottle," "door," or "Pulitzer" suggests that women are sometimes treated as placeholders for ambition, comfort, or escape, rather than being valued as individuals. This highlights the objectification and instrumentalization of women in male-centric narratives.
5. Why do you think the poet emphasizes the physical reality of a woman in the final lines?
• By focusing on the tangible aspects of a woman's body—"skin and bones," "veins and nerves"—the poet reclaims the idea that a woman exists beyond how she is perceived. This grounding in physicality rejects societal labels, metaphors, and justifications that seek to define or excuse how women are treated.
6. How does the poem redefine agency and self-perception for women in contrast to societal expectations?
• The poem affirms that women have autonomy over their bodies and identities, rather than being passive figures shaped by external perceptions. It encourages women to resist being seen as mere symbols and to embrace their own existence outside of male desire or societal labels. This shift from being "looked at" or "touched" to self-recognition empowers women to define themselves on their own terms.