Modern Woman’s Struggle with Self-confidence The Art of the Story: An International Anthology of Contemporary Stories by Daniel Halpern is a compilation of the 80 short stories. This book brings together a generation of short story writers who provide a wide range of short fiction using different writing styles to captivate the reader. These short stories address different topics and issues ranging from love to sensual examination. The portrayal of the different characters in each of the short stories provide different themes or concepts that can be applicable to the contemporary world. An example of a short story in this book that provides contemporary theme or concept is G-string by Nicola Barker. This paper compares and contrasts Jeanie and Gillian in terms of how they represent the self-confidence struggles of the contemporary woman through the symbol of the G-string.

Jeanie vs. Gillian

Jeanie and Gillian are two major characters in G-string by Nicola Barker. Barker utilizes the symbol of the G-string to depict various themes and concepts reflecting the experiences and challenges of women in the society. Jeanie and Gillian have different views and perspectives on what it takes for women in the society to be respected and admired by men. Despite the differences in viewpoints in the G-string, Jeanie and Gillian are emblematic of the modern woman’s struggle with self-confidence. In essence, one of the overarching theme demonstrated by Barker in allowing the reader to follow her protagonist Gillian and her...

Barker utilizes the G-string to demonstrate how fashion and trends could be the genesis of a woman’s struggle with self-identity, self-esteem, and self-confidence as reflected by both Jeanie and Gillian.
In the initial stages of this short story, Jeanie and Gillian have very contrasting views on what constitutes the modern woman and how she can gain respect and admiration in the society, particularly among men. Jeanie and Gillian seemingly...…to obtain a sense of identity among their peers. By wearing the G-string, Gillian loses the sense of self-identity, self-assurance, and self-confidence that she possessed before. As a result, she eventually took off the G-string and felt a sense of relief and liberation. Gillian felt more confident, victorious and a truly contemporary woman when she took off the G-string.

In conclusion, one of the overarching themes or concepts in Nicola Barker’s G-string is the modern woman’s struggle with self-confidence. As the heart of this struggle is whether or not to embrace societal ideas or standards on who is truly a contemporary woman. These societal ideas or standards are centered on fashion trends, which are used as the definition of beauty and class. Jeanie demonstrates this struggle through embracing the G-string as the symbol of class and beauty as well as definition of self-confidence. On the contrary, Gillian demonstrates this challenge through the dilemma on whether or not to wear the G-string.…