Gallimard's Split Personalities

Going off of Chrissie’s post and her attention to Gallimard’s view of men and women, I think it’s also interesting to look at the other character’s views of men and women and how they act and perceive the opposite sex. In Gallimard’s case, I feel as though he is confused about how to behave around for view women. He seems to have two sides to him, one that is scared of women, and the other that dominates them. However, both sides only see women as objects of ownership or of status. The prettier the woman, the better an ugly man feels about himself because who would be looking at the man when a woman is so beautiful. Or, as in the case where Gallimard is looking at the magazines, he is somewhat timid to be looking at them, as if he shouldn’t. On the contrasting side of Gallimard’s personalities is Marc, who if anything, would be called a womanizer. Marc strictly sees women as objects of play and collectibles. He pushes his views of women onto Gallimard, creating the other side of Gallimard’s personality. Marc is the instigator of the Gallimard’s fantasies and wants of pretty women, and his want to dominate them, as Marc does. In Song’s case, she views men as the dominators, like Marc would be and how Gallimard tries to be. I say try because although he sends the letters to her and ignores Song, that not who he actually is because he feels guilty afterward. Song sees Gallimard as a desirable man, somebody to keep her company. She plays “hard to get” to keep him at bay, only wanting him on certain nights. It seems to me that the other characters, especially Marc and Song, are the ones that create Gallimard’s different personalities.