For Tuesday: Cunningham's "Why Women Smile" (pp.347-353)
Answer TWO of the following…
1. Why are women under more pressure to
smile than men, according to the essay?
Why isn’t this inherently “female” but socially constructed (a product
of gender)?
2. Based on the ideas in the essay,
what kind of smile is Mona Lisa’s smile?
Is it a “Duchenne Smile”? A
social smile? What “reading” can we
take from her smile—and how much of a smile is it?
3. Is smiling an American cultural
value? Consider this passage: “When
McDonald’s opened in Moscow not long ago and when EuroDisney debuted in France
last year [1992], the Americans involved in both business ventures complained
that they couldn’t get the natives they’d employed to smile worth a damn”
(352). What does this mean? Why couldn’t—or wouldn’t—Europeans
smile?
4. Why might Cunningham be writing this
essay to women as a kind of warning?
Consider the passage, “We’d do well to realize just how much our smiles
misrepresent us, and swear off for good the self-depreciating grins and ritual
displays of deference” (353).
Vocabulary:
ReplyDeleteWattage— the amount of power required to operate an electrical appliance or device.
Innocuous— harmless
Lieu— place; stead
Archetype— an original model or type after which other similar things are patterned
Vie— to strive in competition or rivalry with another; contend for superiority
Bona fide— made, done, presented, etc., in good faith; without deception or fraud
Deference— respectful or courteous regard
Pilloried— to expose to public derision, ridicule, or abuse
Mirth— amusement or laughter
Magnanimous— high-minded; noble
Duchenne Smile— A smile that characterized by crow's feet around the eyes and an upturning of lips; a genuine smile.
Essay Questions:
2. According to Cunningham (and Paul Ekman’s study), Mona Lisa’s smile is not a “Duchenne Smile” because the orbicularis oculi is not really being used in the smile. The smile on Mona Lisa’s is more of what could be considered a social smile. When I look at Mona Lisa it is hard to tell what she is feeling. It is hard to tell, to me anyway, because she does not have eye brows. That being said when I look at her smile the first thing I notice is the fact that it looks forced. I might even go as far as to say it does not really look like she is small as much as trying to have a blank expression. This observation tells me she probably did not want to be painted in the first place.
3. Cunningham suggests that smiling is an American cultural value. I would have to agree to a certain extent. I believe that the act of smiling in public is an American cultural value. I believe smiling is a worldwide cultural value but something meant for children &/or intimate moments. Cunningham suggested that American public smiling is the effect of a lower population (352). The passage about the Moscow McDonald’s and the EuroDisney meant the Americans could not get the natives to smile or have a good smile because: A) the natives were taught not to smile in a public setting, and B) when they did smile it was a forced smile. The natives probably could not smile because they did not think there was anything to smile about and they do not think they are supposed in public.
Jenna Demastus
ReplyDeleteQ1. Women are more pressured to smile according to the essay because of social norms. Men in movies are seen as hard stone faced creatures that aren't to smile unless its a truly joyous moment. Women on the other hand are always smiling never to cease no matter what the cost in order to protect others. Women smile to keep their children and spouses from knowing anything is wrong.The womens smile is socially constructed through movies and the media they are thought to keep up the charde for others, but in actuality women are thought of as emotional creatures. So the unorthadox smiles are often fake.
Q4. This essay could be seen as a warning to women to be themselves. It tells about how we see smiles form day one and begin to mimic the behavior in order to show toughness and hide what we don't want others to see. This quote is explaining how we just need to be ourselves and not be afraid to ask for help. Its saying that just because we see something as respect it doesn't need to be done at all times. All in all women are nly human they deserve the right to show emotion and break the phony grin every once in a while.
Q.2.
ReplyDeleteTo me Mona Lisa’s smile is a social smile. I say this because when people painted portraits back in the day, it would take several hours for the painting to be painted. Being so, it is hard to find a picture from the older days of people smiling a genuine smile. After several hours of smiling, a person’s face would be tired. So it was not uncommon for people to either have a small forced “social smile” or have a blank and unemotional look on their face. So after much studying of Mona’s face, its almost impossible to read what she is feeling.
Q.3
Happiness, that is the “American Dream.” Being happy, smiling, laughing, being completely content as you climb the latter to success. With the “American Dream,” involves smiling. Kind and friendly faces help things sale in America. To me smiling is part of American culture and can be tied into the “American Dream.” Which is why it is hard to get non-americans to smile at work.
Hayden Blakemore
ReplyDelete20 October 2014
1. Women are more under pressure due to the fact that men are supposed to be hard and only smile when true joy comes on to the scene. On the other hand, the essay also shows us that some cultures still use the law of Eve, how she seduced Adam and caused him to sin, and try to bury women away so this would never happen again. Although this worked about a hundred years ago, today this would make women laugh and might even offend them.
2. Mona Lisa’s smile is said to be enigmatic on the grounds that we don’t exactly know what she was thinking or what it was supposed to look like, but we do know that it might have been forced upon her. It’s not a smile that says she is looking for intercourse, or taking a “selfie”, but more that she had to force herself to smile. It is definitely not a smile I would use every day, but maybe one I would use to have someone believe everything is alright and that nothing would need to be addressed.
Karina Tarpey
ReplyDeleteQ1: Women are under more pressure to smile than men for several reasons. Smiling can often be seen as feminine and men are seen as weaker if they are constantly smiling. It also portrays good sense to superiors if women smile. The essay tells us that culturally women smile to prove that we aren't scheming anything. That everything is hunky dory and we are staying in our place. This can be traced back to the law of Eve and her seductive sinning.
Q4: This essay could be seen as a type of warning because while smiling is a cultural norm, we are rarely ever told why or even question it. I didn't realize it, but after reading this essay I started to examine my social behaviors.I am taken more seriously when I don't smile, however, I rarely am without a smile. In real life I am usually smiling and am well liked because of it. Also, I, along with the majority of the female population of America, are told and told and told that we are only pretty if we smile. Smile darling, show off your pretty teeth. I am aproachable because of my smile. I seem friendly.
Q.2
ReplyDeleteBased on the essay and look at the portrait of Mona Lisa I would say that her smile is somewhere in-between a “Duchenne Smile” and sort of a “posing smile.” It seems as if she is posing just for the picture and is not quite in the mood to smile fully. Like she is trying to appear sophisticated and maybe seductive but at the same time the smile does not reach upwards of her eyes. This is how you can tell that it is only put on there “for show.”
Q.4
Cunningham may have the intended meaning for this essay as a warning to the American people because our expressions show a great deal more than we realize. Whether it be impatience, anger, or nervousness the exact way we are holding our faces appears as a book to those observant enough to notice it. The thing is, most of the population would rather go about their day than take a second to look closer and see if the person they passed was giving off a sincere smile or if it was just a façade. So we need to learn to truly show the emotions behind the mask, and give off a smile if we want to, but just as easily grimace if our day is not going as planned.
Savannah Lincoln
ReplyDeleteQ2.
Mona Lisa's smile would be considered a social smile because she is not using her eye muscles. It's not a Duchenne smile. I don't see pain or misery in her smile but perhaps annoyance or anger. It's almost as if she doesn't want to be in the picture.
Q4.
He doesn't think that we should hide behind our smiles because it's the cultural norm for a woman to be happy. We should be able to express all of our emotions with our facial expressions. We should be able to show strong expressions, sad expressions, any of the emotions we feel. We need to learn to smile when we want to, but frown if we're upset, or have a solemn face if we're sad.
Andrew Jordan Nickell
ReplyDeleteQ1- Women are under more pressure to smile, because they are weaker and show more emotion than men. Men are hardy and don't show emotion, so they don't smile. If a women doesn't smile, they are seen as masculine and what women wants to be considered masculine? However, we don't want to see all of their emotions. We just want to see them as happy and happiness is all they should ever show.
Q4- As a society, we smile. We smile at almost anything, even strangers. It is kind of the rule, that you smile at people, even if you are upset or unhappy. You should smile. Don't let the world see your pain, mask it. We don't want to deal with that. In other parts of the world, they may want you to show your true emotion, or to only smile at your husband. They don't think you should lie and mask your emotions.
I think the Europeans didn't smile, because they didn't want to force themselves to do something all day. They were saving their smiles for when they actually meant it; not just putting on a fake mask for the public eye. They were showing their true emotions.
Amber Simpson
ReplyDelete1. Women are more under the pressure to smile than men because, if we don’t, we seem too serious. Also, because women’s roles in films have always been smiling ones. I can relate to this. As I walk around campus, or anywhere else, and someone I know passes me, they ask me what’s wrong. Usually nothing is wrong; my mind has just ventured off, and I am in my own little world. But, because I am not looking up and smiling at people, like society suggests I should, I all of a sudden seem upset. This is my face. If I am not smiling, it does not necessarily mean I am upset; it just means I am not smiling!
4. Cunningham might be writing this essay to women as a kind of warning because not all smiles mean the same thing. For instance, if you are having a bad day and still try to smile at strangers when they walk past you, your smile may feel like a nice gesture and a great effort to you, but they may see is as a snobby, disgusted grin. The smile you presented may not be as happy of a smile as you had tried to make it, giving off almost a negative vibe. So, Cunningham warns us to smile genuinely, and to not let our smiles be misread by others.
Q1: Women are more pressured to smile than men are because that’s how our society is. WE view women to be filled with a more caring and compassionate feeling than men. Also women to have more emotions. Men come off as the ones that hide their feelings and don’t show them. Only if they have to or want to show them. We just get the effect that women are supposed to be like this. We view them as the ones who like to express themselves more and show how the truly feel. You see that all over the world when women are in movies and in magazines.
ReplyDeleteQ4: I think Cumming ham wrote this essay to show us that we have a lot of smiles and emotions. We must display the feeling that we have. When we smile it can be taken the wrong way and someone might think different about the smile than what we thought. He is just wanting us to be aware of the emotions and action we put off because you never know how it might affect someone’s life.
Q 1) In our society women are seen to be more pressured to smile then man because that’s how our society is. We see women as a caring & loving nature with that kind of feeling then men. Men seems not showing the smile as they just hide it. But when we see women , she has to take care of lots of things of home and social problems, She has to handle that. But she gives a good smile in completing lots of problem ….
ReplyDeleteQ4) cummingham is writing this essay to sow us that we people have a different kind of feeling . He wants to tell us that we should not be afraid if anything is wrong , we should be able to ask for help with out hesitation if we need that, And we can also learn from this essay that hiding a thing and being sad does not solve the problem .. We must smile and tackle that problem which will make easy to complete that work.
BIBEK BHURTEL
ReplyDeleteVocabulary:
Mirth- amusement or laughter
Innocuous-harmless
1. According to the essay, women are more pressured to smile then men because of the social norms. In real life, men do not smile in every situation. It seems men smile mostly in the joyful situation only. But women seems to smile in every situation to handle that case, whether that is the joyful condition or the serious condition. The essay tells us that culturally women smile to prove that we can handle every situation.
4. In this essay Cunningham wants to show us that every people is different with different kinds of feeling. This essay wants to tell us that one should not hide their feelings doing so will give a great pressure and problem. We have to be happy and should start smiling in every situation to be that work done easily.
Q1. Women are more pressured to smile because we are supposed to be the caretakers. In the essay "Why Women Smile, it says, "To limit a woman to one expression is like editing down an orchestra to one instrument. And the search for more authentic means of expression isn't easy in a culture in which women are still expected to be magnanimous smilers, helpmates in crisis, and curators of everybody else's morals." Men aren't as pressured because they are supposed to be the strong, emotionless ones. Women are supposed to put on a smile because who likes a women who doesn't smile? Cunningham says, "A smile lightens the load, diffuses unpleasantness, redistributes nervous tension." Women are also more known to put on a front. Not let anyone see their emotions. A smile is the best medicine. Cunningham also states that, "Evidently, a woman's happy, willing deference is something the world wants visibly demonstrated." Society just expects women to be happy, that's what we are stereotyped to be.
ReplyDeleteQ4. The Europeans didn't think smiling was necessary. They thought that you should be able to win people over without a smile. Cunningham says, "The American smile is a democratic version of a curtsy, or doffed hat, since, in this land of free equals, we're not especially formal about the ways we greet social superiors." The Europeans expect you to be able to influence people with more than just a smile. Its cliché.
Adria Abella Villafranca
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay, I have had some troubles with my computer.
2. As the writer said, the Mona Lisa's smile isn't a Duchenne Smile. Her smile isn't Duchenne because the orbicularis oculi wasn't being used in her portrait. In my opinion, the Mona Lisa's smile looks different, looks forced and sometimes bothers me. When I look her eyes I look two black tunnels without end and it strikes me. In my thought, the Mona Lisa's smile is not a social smile, it is trying to express something that the woman is not feeling.
3. In my opinion, the fact "smile" is a cultural value. Why? Because I think that the real smiles only appear when you don't have any idea about the life that is happening around you. When you are doing real smiles is when you are child because you haven't received any education or ideas that your fathers or the people that are around you have taught to you. The thing that I would say with this statement is that the culture and the education that you have received have influence about when you decide to smile. Furthermore, in the passage, Cunnigham would say that the things that happen around the world could affect our culture and this culture could modify ours way to smile.