Seeing Written by John Berger. Term Paper

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One of the primary ways the Berger chooses to explain this concept to his readers is through detailing the objectification of women, particularly in paintings. The male principles of power and authority have the propensity for viewing women as objects (some of lust, others of beauty, still others of reference). Women, in turn, internalize this sort of perception and come to view their own authority and power as attributable to their status as such objects viewed by men and by others. Therefore, women's perception of the sight of themselves has a duality in the fact that it is both their own viewing of themselves and also incorporates the viewpoint that others, such as men, may have for themselves. Berger suggests this notion within the following quotation. "The surveyor of woman in herself is male: the surveyed female. Thus she turns herself into an object -- and most particularly an object of vision: a sight" (47). This quotation underscores one of the central characteristics of sight, that it involves both looking and being looked at. People, of course, are aware of both of these aspects of it. In particular, women share this awareness of the duality of being viewed and viewing, since they see themselves as though "male." This duality of course relates to the dichotomy of the literal and figurative aspects of seeing -- literally, a woman looks as herself much like she looks anything else. Figuratively, however, she regards that sight is through a decidedly male lens of beauty, exoticness, etc.

An excellent example of the duality that exists between seeing and being viewed is found in the film Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf in which a husband and wife, George and Martha, endure a turbulent relationship while entertaining another couple. While discussing various aspects of their allegedly adolescent son, the couple alternate between viewing their son as they themselves see him and considering how their viewpoints of the boy would affect others who see them talking about them -- primarily their guests for the evening, Nick and Honey.

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What is most significant about this fact, however, is that the couple does not actually have a son. In fact, they have never had a son, and merely talk to each other as if they have one in order, perhaps, to account for the fact that they are not able to have a son. Thus, when George announces that he received a telegram the previous day that their son had been killed, Martha vehemently protests that he "can't do this" (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf). The duality of the viewpoint of George and Martha regarding their son is parallel to that explained by Berger about sight. While talking about their son in front of Nick and Honey, the former couple is being aware of how their discussion and their imaginary child is viewed. However, they are also viewing this imaginary boy themselves, which is why Martha objects to George terminating the facade of their having a son by claiming he was killed the day before.

The dichotomy of the perception of sight is a fairly integral aspect of it, particularly as it is examined and analyzed within Berger's ways of seeing. There is a literal aspect of sight, which is objective, as well as a figurative aspect of sight, which is highly subjective. Simultaneously, there is a duality in seeing something and becoming aware that one is also in turn seen by others. This duality plays an integral role in the interpretation and presentation of works of art is a number of media, including in cinema, photography, and in painting.

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