The woman, in this type of movie, becomes "isolated, glamorous, on display, sexualised" - which is how not only Miss Torso is presented in Rear Window, but also Lisa
An example of this is Jeff's relationship with Lisa. In the beginning he does not really show any interest in Lisa. He is afraid to commit to her through marriage. Lisa's display of sexuality (a form of exhibitionism accented by her insistence on clothes and jewelry) triggers this sense of fear, the symbol of his castration anxiety, in Jeff, and which he consequently has to try to channel. The female threat has to be eliminated (hence Thorwald's murdering of his wife as Jeff's dream scenario) or neutralized (e.g. By a marriage). Subsequently, Jeff's anxiety for Lisa's sexuality (and exhibitionism) can only diminish when she becomes a part of the world he looks at from his window, when she can be gazed at and controlled like the other objects in his gaze. We can therefore argue that Jeff's submissive gaze at Lisa canalises and neutralises his fear. Lisa only becomes desirable to him (sexually) when she enters the perspective of his window
Taking this analysis one step further, we see that spectators are, moreover, almost forced to identify with Jeff's male gaze objectifying the woman. However, we should also remark that the female spectatorial look works somewhat different from the male look in this situation. On the one hand, she (the female spectator) is described as a passive exhibitionist. Miss Torso is the extreme representation of this exhibitionism as a character in the movie, but Lisa's accent on clothing is also an element contributing to this exhibitionism. On the other hand, the female spectator is also able to identify with the gaze of the male hero, which turns her look into a masochistic look (as opposed to the male spectatorial look which is sadistic), at which point she turns into an active voyeur rather than a passive exhibitionist." (Els...
The general public has come to accept the sway of almighty genes in the human personality and destiny (De Waal). Studies of the behaviors of chimpanzees and bonobos illustrate striking similarities to human behaviors and suggest evolution and kinship (De Waal 1999). These range from politics, child rearing to violence and morality. There is no place for a blank slate. Human beings are naturally selfish and aggressive or they have
Nature or Nurture Nature vs. Nurture Is one shaped by nature or by nurture? This question of nature vs. nurture has been the center of controversy since the beginning of time. Insomuch, some feel that a living organism, such as animals, human beings, or cells may be influenced by external or internal stimuli based on one's environment. With such a huge divergence of perspectives on the issue, the nature-nurture debate is prominent
Nature vs. Nurture in Criminology The nature/nurture issue has been a controversy in professional circles for many years. In criminology then, some hold that criminal behavior is socially (nurture) influenced, while others are of the opinion that genetics (nature) play a substantial role. While it is true that the environment in which a person is raised plays an important role in possible criminal tendencies, studies show that the innate nature of
Nature vs. Nurture ADHD as an Example of Nature vs. Nurture There are several schools of thought that address the way in which human beings develop their personality and behavioral traits. Some psychologists believe that traits tend to be innate, written into the individual's genetic code and thus inborn and largely predicted from conception (Gonzales-Mena, 2009). On the other hand, other psychologists believe that while individuals have genetic traits that may predispose
Since personality disorders are inherited, it can be assumed that overall personality traits are inherited from parents. Generally, people with similar characteristics have similar personalities since it's hereditary. Self-Confidence: The question on whether people are born with self-confidence or they are taught on developing this aspect is a fundamental issue about the nature vs. nurture debate. In the view of self-confidence being developed from environmental influences, it's basically stated that an
The process of problem solving is therefore enhanced whenever the learner is able to gain access to, and manipulate, concepts and knowledge representations of problem-solving procedures. According to Lee, Baylor and Nelson (2005) "Potential instructional uses of external knowledge representations include the following: (a) clarification or elaboration of a learner's own conceptual understanding of a problem space…(b) communication of a learner's conceptual understanding to others… and, (c) evaluation of
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now