mage of Jennifer as negative. It is possible to look at Jennifer as living in a way that is the accepted function in our culture. This is an image, however negative that it may be, that is culturally accepted as how gender roles should be and therefore reinforces its stabilization.Berger considers that "The way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe" (106). Our beliefs often have subtle and unconscious basis and influence how we see or interpret images. When we look at an image, we bring our background, past experiences and beliefs to that image and see more than what is there. As a result of what we bring to our perception of images, the media can use images to influence us in very subtle ways. "In constructing the images, of course, continual use is made of knowledge (or at least what is imagined to be knowledge) of consumer's lives" (Bordo143). These images of what we are, what we should be, what we are expected to be bombard us daily. We are surrounded with expectations that we somehow must try to achieve. These expectations however are in actuality no different than the expectations or cultural identity that has been placed on us, both male and female, through history. Rich says that "A lot is being said today about the influence that myths and images of women have on all of us who are products of culture" (607). The essential phrase being "products of our culture." We do not live in isolation, therefore, we are all products of our culture regardless of how individualistic or independent we may believe ourselves to be. We can slowly attempt, through our own personal growth and development, to rise above this cultural ideal and to develop an equal living environment, and as a culture rise above the oppressive nature that is presently in existence.The effects of the influence of our culture are so deeply ingrained that it is difficult if not impossible to remove ourselves from this influence. Images ...
