The panel I enjoyed most was 'More Power to You.' Most of the papers were on the politics of gender and sexuality.
One paper examined how yonic imagery in Mrs. Dalloway writes the vagina as a site of fullness and expansion, rather than phallic lack. This was my friend Amanda's paper, so my view of it isn't unbiased. But I thought the writing was exceedingly well written, to the point to where I'd suggest that Amanda take some kind of literature-based honors program--if USC offered such a program that is.
Another essay covered Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat, arguing that the female lead performs gender fluidly and nontraditionally in order to control the men she's marooned with and survive a risky situation. Hitchcock's film, it was clear from the paper, makes this gender performance creepy. The woman, as the film makes her out, is a threat. She's a consummate actor whose 'true' identity will never be clear. While the film (from 1944) makes gender performance a sinister act. This was interesting to me, especially because the film predates Butler's theories on gender- especially that all gender is performative. To Butler and myself, Connie's non-conforming gender is empowered, not sinister.
One paper examined how yonic imagery in Mrs. Dalloway writes the vagina as a site of fullness and expansion, rather than phallic lack. This was my friend Amanda's paper, so my view of it isn't unbiased. But I thought the writing was exceedingly well written, to the point to where I'd suggest that Amanda take some kind of literature-based honors program--if USC offered such a program that is.
Another essay covered Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat, arguing that the female lead performs gender fluidly and nontraditionally in order to control the men she's marooned with and survive a risky situation. Hitchcock's film, it was clear from the paper, makes this gender performance creepy. The woman, as the film makes her out, is a threat. She's a consummate actor whose 'true' identity will never be clear. While the film (from 1944) makes gender performance a sinister act. This was interesting to me, especially because the film predates Butler's theories on gender- especially that all gender is performative. To Butler and myself, Connie's non-conforming gender is empowered, not sinister.
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