The Plastic Pink Flamingo
The Plastic Pink Flamingo America has existed for many centuries and it has always revolved around popularity and wealth. Jennifer Price wrote the essay “The Plastic Pink Flamingo: A Natural History” in order to reveal the truth about American people’s obsessions and passions for their cravings by two main factors: a flamingo and pink. “First, it was a flamingo. ” When analyzing this essay and focusing on the topic of flamingo, the words Ironic, Hypocritical, Exaggerative, Popularity, and Attention come to ones mind. This was a little ironic, since Americans had hunted flamingos to extinction in Florida in the late 1800’s, for plumes and meat. ” This quote plays a big role in the irony of the popular flamingo because these creatures were once viewed as prey and now they are the names of hotels and in people’s lawns. From the 1800’s to the present, the flamingo’s status has changed so much that they can be viewed as an idol now. The exaggeration comes into play when describing the color.
Not one real flamingo is that bright of a pink and yet every plastic lawn-ornament is florescent pink. “A flamingo stands out in a desert even more strikingly than on a lawn. ” Price says that there is not purpose of the flamingo except appearance. When people see that bright pink animal in the grass of their neighbor’s front yard they automatically think different so those neighbors are always going to stand out to everyone else. They bring attention which is what everyone wants. “And the flamingo was pink. Karal Ann Marling once wrote “sassy pinks” were “the hottest color of the decade. ” In 1956 when Elvis Presley had signed his first recording contract, he purchased a pink Cadillac. Once everyone knew “The King” had a pink car everyone wanted it. Pink at that time was a very trendy color and to be honest it still is. One of the most popular “In” trends is the Breast-Cancer epidemic. The icon is a little “Pink” ribbon and everyone around the world is aware of this disease and pink is overflowing the Earth.
The NFL recently spent more than a thousand dollars on pink cleats, head-bands, wrist-bands, and other products. The “in” color will always change over time but pink will always be that one exception, the one color that everyone can relate to in some way. This entire country is based on appearance, what does everyone else think of us? Price, by the end of the excerpt, has now fully explained to the audience that she believes the United States is just shallow and is obsessed with its manifestation.
