Inspiration and Meaning
The inspiration for "Cornflake Girl" came from Alice Walker's novel Possessing the Secret of Joy, about a young African woman going through the ritual of female genital mutilation. Amos was angered by the idea that a mother could subject her daughter to such a brutal act, and the song arose as an exploration of the idea of betrayal between women. In the song two factions of women are referred to: the "raisin girls" are "multicultural" and open-minded, while the "cornflake girls" of the title are "narrowminded and full of prejudice".
The reference to cornflakes and raisins comes from their distribution in a box of breakfast cereal, implying that "raisin girls" are much harder to find than "cornflake girls". Amos has spoken in interviews about being referred to glibly as "the cornflake girl" due to the song's title being applied to her, when she considers herself a "raisin girl". Moreover she specifically states in the first line of the song: "Never was a cornflake girl." (In concerts she has also said "cornflakes" vs. "raisins" was a reference to which girls had ready access to marijuana, Tori herself being bereft of the substance.) The confusion is probably related to her 1987 commercial for Kellogg's Just Right, made before her widespread fame. Just Right includes both raisins and corn flakes, so the song and the cereal are related either through coincidence or intent.
Atlantic released a series of cornflakes boxes with picture of Amos on them to promote this. They are now collector's items.
Read more about this topic: Cornflake Girl
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