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Berger's Guide to Modern Advertisements


            John Berger's "Ways of Seeing," examines the role of the female body in art. Although written in 1972, Berger's third essay, which focuses on nudity in art (45), serves as a base for a controversial topic in 2015. It is clear that men and women have different roles when it comes to how they are supposed to handle their bodies. Berger uses nude paintings as an example to describe how women are looked at in society. He goes into detail about the difference between and man's presence and a woman's presence. He even states that, "men act, women appear" " (Berger 47) as a way to accurately describe the roles. Although harsh and maybe even cringe-worthy, his statement serves as a good look into the role women played in the 1970's. It is easy to think society has progressed and looks at women differently. But with some careful analysis, one can see that society has not changed much since the 1970's. In fact, maybe objectification took some more victims. It is much more prevalent in today's society. Perhaps it is now that "men appear, women act"." Men used to be on top of the world and women were clearly just part of a man's world. Men were supposed to be satisfied and women were meant to satisfy them. Now, men are victims of objectification just as much as women are. Both genders are exploited in artwork in media because sex sells. And while some might think that the roles have just switched and women are no longer the victims, it is sadly untrue. Women are objectified differently than in the 1970's. Berger's essay is still applicable today. If everyone read the essay written in 1972, which is analyzing women in paintings, it can be hard to relate to. But if Berger's references to classic art were replaced with modern-day advertisements, the message is clear. .
             The media does a phenomenal job when it comes to exposing women. Women are no longer simply painted nude for a particular person, but Berger's statement still holds true, "she turns herself into an object "and most particularly an object of vision: a sight " (Berger 47).


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