Jenkins

In the Jenkins reading, “Never Trust a Snake”: WWF Wrestling as Masculine Melodrama, he displays multiple emotions and hardships that come with wrestling. The personal experiences that are connected with wrestling vary with everyone, but through it all it builds a bond in the wrestling community that most people will never understand. Jenkins goes into great detail about the background and history of wrestling and the way the game works. Jenkins states wrestling as “a form which bridges the gap between sport and melodrama, allows for the spectacle of male physical prowess but also for the exploration of the emotional and moral life of its combatants”(Jenkins 297). Not only does this state that wrestling is an ideal place to show anger, aggression, and other emotions, but it also goes into greater detail of having authority and the ring being related to having power. Jenkins also explains how the working class enjoys wresting because they believe strength shows moral authority, which will always prevail (300). Within the “Invincible Victims” section, there is a lot said about how men in the sport will “overcome the forces which subordinate them” (306). This is where I believe the working class men are the ones who show their moral values and choose to fight back. Jenkins gave a great example of Hulk Hogan when he was knocked down and beaten, but instead of lying on the ground, ready to accept defeat he chose to get up and fight back (306). I was confused when Jenkins talks about “Seeing Is Believing”. He tells us that people recognize that the sport is fake, but pretend it to be real. I do not know what he means by that exactly, but he gives great analogies.

Berger

In the reading From Ways of Seeing, Berger grasps certain concepts pertaining to the idea in which women and men are perceived. He explains that women are classified as the "surveyed" while men are the "surveyors". Women view themselves and watch others view themselves as well. Berger states that "men act and women appear"(5). He offers a great analogy from the Bible regarding Adam and Eve. Until they ate the apple from the tree of knowledge, they were not ashamed to be naked. This provides great insight for me to get a better understanding of what he is trying to explain. The way people are viewed varies from person to person, whether it is a matter of age, gender, race, appearance, etc. Later after the biblical event, Berger states that "the shame becomes a kind of display" (6). This is in regard to the Renaissance when artists depict paintings where women and men are no longer nude. They are covered by leaves or their hands. They a have become ashamed of being naked because of the way others perceive them now. There is so much judgment in the world, it takes the fearless to think and act freely. I am still unfamiliar with what Berger says about the difference between nudity and nakedness. I feel as if he explains nakedness in more of a shameful manner, whereas nudity is embraced. This reading has opened my eyes to seeing things a bit differently. You must free you mind as if it was subconscious when it comes to analyzing others and readings. You must almost forget what you were brought up to think what was right and wrong.

Writing Profile

This picture depicts some of what the American culture could be represented as. The exceptional amount of McDonald's food spread out through the table stands out most and has a significant meaning behind it. This fast food restaurant has been one of the leading causes to obesity throughout America. The little kids in the picture just proves that obesity is progressively getting worse each throughout generation, and it is quite evident that the young children in the picture are not in the shape they should be in at this age. I cannot help, but notice the wrinkles in the childrens’ arms from their excessive amount of weight. This is not healthy by any means for them and may lead to life or death situations later on in their lives. I notice the child in the hat pointing towards something, which may indicate he wants more of something. There is already plenty of French fries and pop on the table and what looks to be like left over trash from something else they have already eaten. American culture relies a great deal on fast food and McDonald’s especially. This has caused a great deal of obesity throughout our country, and this picture proves that it is taking its toll on the younger society.