Jessica Alston

Rhetorical Analysis: The Plastic Pink Flamingo: A Natural History

May 15, 2015; June 4, 2015

Within an excerpt from Jennifer Prices insightful and satirical essay The Plastic
Pink Flamingo: A Natural History analyzing the rise in fame of the plastic flamingo in
the 1950s, she comically shifts from discussing the birds impact in America to its
influential effect on the world, to criticize the U.Ss materialistic view of life, in order to
expose peoples constant exploitation of ethnic cultures for their own cachet of leisure
and extravagance (19).
As Price criticizes how greedy and secular Americans have become, she discusses
the extent to which citizens have altered characteristics of the flamingo, reiterating that
people selfishly take advantage of innocent subjects. While describing how the flamingo
has risen in popularity, Price incorporates an asyndeton to name the various colors the
plastic bird could be customized to be. Consumers had the option to chose tangerine,
broiling magenta, livid pink, incarnadine, [and] fuchsia demure (34-35). However, in
actuality, flamingos are bright pink. Plastic industries have stripped the bird of its natural
hue in order to appeal to a generation having just gone through a depression. In order to
increase profits, companies use different, alluring colors that will attract the eyes and
induce a euphoric feeling in customers. Nevertheless, the more the flamingo is physically
altered, the less recognizable it becomes. The flamingo is no longer a bird, but a character
seen on Saturday morning cartoons. This is similar to what advertising companies do
when creating a commercial. They hire actors that match the color of whatever ethnic
group they are aiming their ads towards in order to garner more sales from that specific

race. Price is symbolizing this misuse of ethnicities through the plastic flamingo and its
various colors; the colors representing non-whites. The long list of hues emphasized the
larger number of races people have mistreated, which needs to cease immediately.
American citizens have torn apart the bird by painting it with overwhelming colors, once
again exploiting a virtuous creature. In addition to asyndetons, Prices essay is comprised
of many ironic statements. For instance, she sarcastically point out how the bird stands
out in a desert more strikingly than on a lawn (25-26). Flamingos typically live in
wetland areas and are nowhere near any of these places. Americans have cheerfully taken
the bird out of its natural habitat and strategically placed it near casinos and hotels in
order to make a quick buck. Very similar to what has been done to Indians and
immigrants in the past, U.S. citizens tried to Americanize the flamingo for their own
personal gain.
While Priced discusses how much Americans have departed from the flamingos
original features, she also mentions the change in what the bird symbolizes, building
upon that idea that U.S. citizens have become more focused on money and fashion. Price
utilizes an allusion to illustrate her point, comparing the flamingo to a pool of clear, blue
water in a hot desert. The flamingo now represents a flamboyant oasis of instant riches
(21). This is a result of casinos in Las Vegas using the bird as advertisements for their
establishments. To gamblers, the flamingo represents an opportunity for them to quench
their thirst for money. This is similar to how advertising agencies commercials have
affected ethnic groups. Since certain races are overused in ads, people constantly
associate these groups with specific products, creating a stereotype. So, whenever one
sees a flamingo, they associate the bird with slot machines and Blackjack, demonstrating

Americas thirst for material goods. In relation to the allusion, Price incorporates a simile,
comparing the rise of flamingos to the emergence of a line of semiotic sprouts (28).
Flamingo themed motels, restaurants, and lounges are rising like a million plants from the
ground. This demonstrates how large of a phenomenon these little plastic birds are. Its
amazing to believe how such a quiet, reserved animal has influenced not only the nation,
but the whole world. However, this is not to be viewed in a positive light, as the rise of
the bird is a result of the exploitation of the animal by American citizens, which is why
they are being characterized as weeds in the simile.
If Price didnt write her truthful and eye-opening essay, the world would not be
able to see how much their beliefs and values have changed unfavorably. Holidays such
as Thanksgiving and Christmas are commercialized, people focusing on buying presents
and food rather than acknowledging the birth of Jesus Christ or the pilgrims settling in
Jamestown. No one reflects of where customs and ideas originated, but rather on how
they can alter them and make a profit. People need to change their attitudes towards life
and discover what is truly important.