In Sally Mann's Photograph, Candy Cigarette

I remember waking up in the morning to the smell of cigarettes. After getting dressed, I would walk to the kitchen to eat breakfast and always found my uncle perched out of the window smoking a “Marlboro Red” cigarette. As we walked to school, my younger brother would often mention to me how neat it would be to smoke a cigarette, “too bad we’re not older” he would always add. As I walked into class and sat down I would always imagine myself as an adult smoking “Marlboro Red” in a shiny red convertible Corvette. I came to the conclusion that being older naturally came with its perks. Many children relate to my experience of wanting to mimic those who are closest to us. Although we all are visually stimulated by what surrounds us and even by our closest family members; children are more vulnerable and sensitive to this kind of stimuli. In Sally Mann’s photograph,” Candy Cigarette”, the common issue that we see in children that is, their desires to rush into adulthood
For one, Jessie is looking directly at the photographer. She is well aware that she is being photographed but craves for the camera to capture her “coming of age”. Jessie holds the cigarette confidently; her facial expression is in discontent as an adult whom smokes regularly would appear. Jessie’s worn down posture are much like an adult’s whom is exhausted from a casual routine day and wants to catch a break. Jessie’s slouchy posture also illustrates the hardships that adults undergo, although she has not yet experienced this. She holds the cigarette between her index and middle fingers as if she were holding up the universal peace sign much like a professional would which illustrates mimicking her angle image of a smoker. Finally, Jessie’s hair is much different than that of a normal girl of her age her hair is loose and appears as if she had just gotten up from bed. Jessie’s hairdo, expresses her desire to appeal to men (or