Trash Can Exercise

Amanda’s trash can set under the open kitchen window. It couldn’t smell at all, or she might gag. The trash can and bag lining it were both black to match the decor of the kitchen; also, black made unattractive objects, such as the trash can, seem slimmer. Inside the trash can, crushed in the bottom of the bag, empty Slim Fast cans lay coated with thick vomit, in which swirled whole chunks of blueberry pie, macaroons and a once large meat lover’s pizza. Filling in some of the empty spaces between the cans and vomit were price tags that had been ripped off newly purchased clothing. One laying face up revealed the size of the blouse just purchase (a size 2) and the other folded over a few times exposed the price of a pair of trousers (only $450). Covering all of this trash up was a huge, empty Bergdorf Goodman shopping bag. This bag concealed the trash underneath so well than anyone peering inside of the trash can would be ignorant to the scene below.

This is supposed to reveal that Amanda has an eating disorder. She drinks the Slim Fast, then binges on unhealthy foods before making herself purge. The size sticker shows she's clearly not overweight. In addition, the price tag of only $450, the macaroons and the Bergdorf Goodman shopping bag reveal that she is affluent.