There are several themes within the first Act that revolve around sex, and the control a man has over a woman when it comes to these relations. Our lead character, Gallimard, has settled for a sub-par wife in his eyes, unable to find anyone better because of his poor looks and his idea that "the sad truth is that all men want a beautiful woman, and the uglier the man, the greater the want" (14). He desires some form of control over women. This is a control he has never had. For instance, the first time he loses his virginity the woman, Isabelle, has "his arms pinned to the dirt" (33). She has complete control over him, and she just "bounced up and down on his loins." Complete domination.
Gallimard tries to counter these by reading porn. The women in the pictures are gorgeous and they are completely under his control. Gallimard examines one particular picture of a woman standing in her window with the drapes open, naked, and fantasizes about this model. They "stand there, in the light, displaying themself . . . without shame . . . [they] like it . . . and want you to see them" (11). But the great thing about these women is they cannot see back. The man can be hideous, and it doesn't matter to a picture. It is this type of power that Gallimard is trying to replicate onto other women, specifically, beautiful women. It is at this point in the Act that we are introduced to the opera diva that catches Gallimard's eye, Song, who is described as "a modest chinese girl" (40).
An interesting thing that occurs are the parallels between the woman standing in the window in the dirty magazine and the scene where Gallimard and Marc see "the light in the window" which reveals Song in a robe. Marc exclaims to Gallimard that "the light - it burns for you" (25), much similar to how the woman on the page of the magazine is there completely for his pleasure. Except in this instance, Song is a real woman, and as she begins to show attraction to Gallimard he exerts this previously "fantasized control" (10). He treats her poorly, doesn't call or get in touch with her for several weeks, refuses to go to her opera performances, etc. He makes this "modest girl" give him her "shame," and plead through letters to get him back into her life. He treats her horribly all to exert this power over a beautiful woman. Treats her the same as he would treat a porn star in one of his fantasies.
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I think you made some really good points about Gallimard's need for control, but there is a little more to explore. I think it is important to look at WHY Gallimard has this need for control.
ReplyDeleteMarc is a good a place to start as any other. Marc is, after all, the biggest influence Gallimard has in his life. Marc was "always the most popular guy in school" (32), and because Gallimard describes himself from the very beginning as "socially inept" (4), he looks up to Marc.
Marc is also his best (and possibly only) friend. He is the only counsel Gallimard has on the subject of women and sex. Therefore, when his first sexual experience is actually arranged by Marc, although it was not what Gallimard expected, he associates sex with Marc. As if Marc is some kind of guru on the subject.
Gallimard's need for control also stems from too many instances of feeling out of control. For instance, he had no control over whether or not he would have sex with the girl Marc set him up with. Nor did he have control while having sex with her, as you mentioned.
One final thought before I sign off... I think Gallimard is trying way too hard to fit the Western ideal of masculinity. He wants to have sex, and to enjoy it...which is why he will not admit to Marc that he didn't enjoy the sex with Isabelle. He wants to be just like Pinkerton from the opera Madame Butterfly because he thinks it is what he should be. He wants to be cool like Marc and be less socially inept and put Song in his big Western arms and...the list goes on and on.
To sum up, Gallimard is having major difficulties accepting his own identity. He has yet to realize that he doesn't need to be the stereotype to be a man of the West.
When reading the first act I saw a lot of similar things as you in regards to male domination and sexual references. I believe you are completely right with the portrayals of man and women and their perspective roles. When watching the video clip of the play being acted it was obvious through the body language as well the dominance that men carry over women. When reading the play it is easy to sense the attitudes toward men and women, but the clip gave us a way of actually seeing specific mannerisms. The Chinese woman (song) sitting on her knees showed this power of men over women; it physically showed the lesser role of her in comparison to Gallimard.
ReplyDeleteA quote I feel helps emphasize your point even further is, “You don’t have to ask! That’s the beauty—don’t you see? They don’t have to say yes.” This advice from Mark expresses the expectations and power that men have. Simply because they are men, “they don’t have to ask,” they can do what ever they please to. This could also tie to the porn scene because porno stars aren’t actually there when men are looking at their nude bodies.
In regards to the porn scene I feel that when he says “No, she must…like it” (11) exerts an indirect link to man over female especially in a sexual reference. Saying “she must like it” means to me that she must like whatever he does because he is male. The para
This play is proving the problems with the male stereotype and their so-called dominance. Gallimard, I believe, has true feelings for Song, but can never fully express them because he feels he most treat her poorly as that is his gender expectation and role to play. By not showing up her performances and such does not get him what he wants, her. So we will see where the play goes from here.