The Gaze: Power and Resistance in Flim

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Area: Aesthetics, Ethics
Grade Level: High School & Beyond
Topics: film
Estimated Time Necessary: 2 lessons of 45 minutes

Lesson Plan

Objectives:
Understanding implied perspective in film
The reading and film explore different views of "The Gaze" (implied perspective) through both camera perspective, implied audience, and visual art history.

The Gaze: Power and Resistance in Film

Read “The Oppositional Gaze” for homework (see below) the day before class. It’s fairly long and challenging. Watch the 19-minute video. This material explores the way what Sartre calls “the gaze” operates in films and how the perspective of the camera and of the implied audience affect the meaning. This material refers to work of Laura Mulvey, bell hooks, and Edward Said. The questions below will help guide the discussion.

bell hooks “The Oppositional Gaze”

EXPAND TOOL TEXTCOLLAPSE TOOL TEXT

Video

Discussion Questions

  • What does the term "implied perspective" mean?
  • What is an implied audience?"
  • How does hooks understand the concept of "The Gaze?"
  • Distinguish between the imperial, the male, and the conventional gaze.
  • How is the "oppositional gaze" meant to combat this? Does it work?
  • How does the idea of "the Gaze" relate to the meaning of novels, TV, websites, and other media forms? How are they similar and different?
This lesson plan was created for PLATO by: Stephen Miller, Oakwood Friends School and Marist College.

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

If you would like to change or adapt any of PLATO's work for public use, please feel free to contact us for permission at info@plato-philosophy.org.