- In this episode, Berger’s distinction between nakedness and the nude female form is viewed as naked being oneself. Comfortable in one’s body without judgement. While nude is being physically and personally exposed. Not seen as your true self. This is significant because when women are naked they feel comfortable in their personal body. However, when women are nude they have opened themself for people to opinion and judge them. They leave themself vulnerable. In my opinion, naked and nude are the same because the body of any individual is unique. Only an individual should see themselves. Otherwise, they expose themselves for people to critique them.
- Western works of art illustrated and defined the different roles for men and women by showing how men saw nude as sexual and desirable. One the other hand, when women are naked they feel like they’re in their own body. She values her body. The significance of this, according to Berger nude and naked are the same because in art it is not sexuality. Yes, this has influenced society today because men and women think, to be naked or nude are the same and most people feel free to show their body without hesitation or shame.
- Berger describes the significance of the mirror as a reminder of how women should like and a judgement on how it reflected back from a “real man”. The mirror is a symbol of the pure beauty of a woman. It reflects the obvious of what they already know. However, men are hypocrites, they look at painting with obvious sexual desires. Berger explains how the female gaze in paintings are admired by the spectator. Their facial expressions are meant to be seen by the viewer. They express their feelings and thoughts through their eyes. He gave many contemporary examples referring to European oil painting like the one of Cupid and Venus. He was kissing her but her body was positioned in the view point for the spectator to admire. She wasn’t concerned with Cupid. The connection he draws between European art and women today is that the old painting represents an exaggeration of what women look like. Painters modify women to please men viewers. If a photograph of a woman was taken it would show its true naturality and not a fixed look.
Ways of Seeing/Ways of Hearing (LaGuardia ENG 101)
I completely agree with your interpretation of Berger’s definitions of naked and nude, but I hadn’t gone so far as to thinking about them in the context of vulnerability! These women are aware they are being viewed, but that awareness opens the gates for judgment and emotional attacks. While there is definitely power in nakedness, I think in this way there is power in allowing one’s self to be nude as well.