"Make Them Fit, Please" Non fiction critical analysis

In this article by Laren Stover, a new motive for surgery is described- women pay to have their feet transformed so that they can fit into designer shoes. Surgeons state many different reasons why women come to their clinics, from large bunions and needing to wear a certain pair of shoes for a modeling job to asking for toe liposuction in order to obtain a certain aesthetic. Stover writes, “Perish all thought of Dr. Scholl’s or Birkenstocks in these waiting rooms. Dr. Oliver Zong, founder of NYC Footcare and self-proclaimed “originator of the foot face-lift and toe tuck,” routinely corrects such conditions as High Heel Foot…”  This is a perfect example of how the author structured the article, stating one doctor and then giving examples of their offered surgeries and a few patients’ motives. Stover also began with a broad statement and narrowed it down into more and more specific examples to prove the main message of her article, a common news article technique. By organizing the article so particularly, the author makes her information easily obtained by the reader.

The author wants the reader to view designer foot surgery as absurd and pointless. She portrays this view to the reader by using a slightly sarcastic tone over the whole article. From beginning to end, the article hints at the ludicrousness of the idea. The opening paragraph even begins with a negative view on the surgery, “he thought it seemed a little vain for women to ask for surgery because their feet hurt wearing fashionable shoes,” writes Stover concerning a surgeon’s view on the designer surgery.

Stover also includes quotes to exhibit the vanities and insecurities of the plastic surgery clients. She writes, “The craziest request she’s received? “Once a patient came in asking for toe liposuction,” Dr. Levine said incredulously. And Dr. Zong said he had a patient ask to have a pinkie toe removed to fit into her shoes. Neither request was granted.” These quotes show how preposterous the surgery offered is.

Overall, even without a stance, it is my belief that the facts and very idea of this article could sway a reader’s opinion on surgery. I think that any type of plastic surgery is unethical and should not be supported, and that even negatively advertising “designer shoe surgery” should be minimized, because even that could bring out the vanity and insecurities of a viewer. I was stunned to discover the extent to which our culture damages a woman's body image- right down to her toes!
New York Times Article, "Make Them Fit, Please" by Laren Stover