Fashioning the Body: Versions of the Citizen, the Self, and the Subject

Timothy
Concept Rhyming Paper #3
Essay Questions


THE SELF


Question:
Through the destruction of the heart machine in the film Metropoilis, both upper and lower levels were deemed useless due to the loss of power. How could equality between the two classes of Metropolis be gained through the destruction of the heart machine?

My Answer:

Through the loss of the machine, the city was deemed useless. The lower levels were flooded deeming them useless as well. Yet at the end of the film, the head, heart, and body were united creating a triad. Through this triad, it would appear that equality was gained To create equality would be for both the lower and upper class to act like the machine they destroyed. For the machine they would have to create a democracy, a new form of government and organization. A new machine to power the city would have to be built, yet through this process might occur difficulties in equality, so it would have to be a cooperative movement, like a well oiled machine.


THE SUBJECT

Question:
How is identity evolving through gender and sexuality? How would Butler define identity? What is gender’s role in identity?

My Answer:
It seems that Butler isn’t interested in defining identity. It’s a constantly moving perception both within others and us. She’s interested in how gender plays into identity. Like identity, gender sometimes isn’t a set thing. Like identity, gender is moving. Shaping identity in numerous ways.

THE CITIZEN

Question:
How is gender an ideology? Is it? How Teresa de Lauretis talk about ideology in context with gender?

My Answer:
- Ideology: “visionary theorizing, a system of concepts about human life or culture,” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary).
- “Replacing ideology with gender in Athusser’s quote: “All ideaology has the function (which defines it) of ‘constituting’ concrete individuals as subjects,’ (Althusser, 171),” (de Lauretis, 7). Gives us a a parallel between gender and ideology.
    Gender is oppressed by ideology.
    They can be examples of one another, yet oppressed by eachother.