Through interviews with women pursuing elective cosmetic surgery, the book delves into how they navigate their body image amid prevailing cultural narratives. It examines themes of women's agency and the tension between personal choice and societal standards regarding beauty and aesthetics. The insights reveal the complexities of self-perception and the impact of cultural expectations on individual decisions about body modifications.
Exploring themes of sexuality and culture, the narrative follows Dr. Kwan, a Korean professor conducting sociological experiments in Cambodia. Drawing from her firsthand experiences over three years, the story delves into the complexities of sexual identity and societal norms in a cross-cultural context. Through her unique perspective, the novel examines the intersections of academia and real-world implications, offering insights into the human experience and the dynamics of sexuality in different cultural settings.
Most women who elect to have cosmetic surgery want a “natural” outcome—a discrete alteration of the body that appears unaltered. Under the Knife examines this theme in light of a cultural paradox. Whereas women are encouraged to improve their appearance, there is also a stigma associated with those who do so via surgery. Samantha Kwan and Jennifer Graves reveal how women negotiate their “unnatural”—but hopefully (in their view) natural-looking—surgically-altered bodies. Based on in-depth interviews with 46 women who underwent cosmetic surgery to enhance their appearance, the authors investigate motivations for surgery as well as women’s thoughts about looking natural after the procedures. Under the Knife dissects the psychological and physical strategies these women use to manage the expectations, challenges, and disappointments of cosmetic surgery while also addressing issues of agency and empowerment. It shows how different cultural intersections can produce varied goals and values around body improvement. Under the Knife highlights the role of deep-seated yet contradictory gendered meanings about women’s bodies, passing, and boundary work. The authors also consider traditional notions of femininity and normalcy that trouble women’s struggle to preserve an authentic moral self.
