An Observation of an Observer
Brooke Ripley
Fine Arts
3/26/2020
Mr. Palomar: An Observation of an Observer
It is easy to get lost in Mr. Palomar’s world. He is an observer who does not just observe but also reflects in order to define. While this approach to observation constructs an entrancing voice, it seems to miss the point of observing. Observation is not about understanding. We can generalize things and perhaps define phenomena, such as the waves so that they are palpable, but when we utterly define something, we stop caring about the actual thing or event. A concrete definition serves as a point of dismissal. It is in the same way we look at a tree and say “oh, that is an oak tree”. At that moment, we disregard the individuality of the tree. We dismiss the way that the individual pieces of bark warp around one another, or the extreme angles a branch took in its own growth. In some ways, Mr. Palomar tries to grasp this. He is absolutely mesmerized by a specific wave and spends an obscene amount of time studying it. However, he does not do this for the enjoyment of the wave, but rather to define all other waves. He runs into the same issue when worrying over the presence of a sunbather. Rather than perceiving her existence along with the rest of the world, he fixates on her existence and objectifies her through his obsessive avoidance of objectifying her. The moment someone can not simply accept that an exposed body exists and then dismiss it, as one does with most visual information, a person is either objectifying or shaming the human form.
In the short story, “Moon in the Afternoon”, Mr. Palomar assumes that the moon needs him in order to exist. While that is a sentimental perspective, it is also a selfish one. This sentiment is made apparent in two different lines. Early in the passage, it states “Nobody looks at the moon, in the afternoon, and this is the moment when it would most require our attention since its existence is still in doubt”. (Calvino, 35) This statement implies that Mr. Palomar believes himself to be necessary for the moon’s existence, and also that his observation, in this case, is not just for himself. So, he observes the changes of the moon for an extended period. He compares the moon to things that he understands, such as a satellite. Once the moon is bright enough to be seen by all, Mr. Palomar concludes his observation, for the “the moon no longer needs him”. Mr. Palomar’s personification of the moon seems like an excuse for him to observe. Perhaps, Mr. Palomar feels that it is too self-serving to perceive and experience the moon for his own pleasure, so he instead chooses to do it for the benefit of the moon.
Responses:
(Jiwoo Choi)
Your comparison of Mr. Palomer's method of observation to a mind map is a very definitive and accurate way of describing the way that he thinks. He chooses a singular object, form, or concept to study, and his observations from that point forward are not necessarily linear. Instead, his observations are sporadic, where some ideas connect to one another, and others seem out of place, but loosely connected to the focus. In not limiting his observation, Mr. Palomer ends up with a haphazard and disorganized description of that which he observes, but, nonetheless, it is more accurate than observations that are guided.
(Syd Jodon)
With this idea of imperceptible change, it leads me to wonder if that is the reason Mr. Palomar chooses to observe the moon. In the passage, he argues that he must observe the moon, for if he doesn't, no one will, and the moon's existence will be in question. Perhaps, when he makes such a bold claim, what he really means to say is that the existence of the moon's change will be in question. For, his observation of the moon is even during the period in which it changes the most. Anyone else who observes the moon, likely when it is most visible, will not know of nor acknowledge where it came from that night nor how it emerged and clarified as time passed.
Fine Arts
3/26/2020
Mr. Palomar: An Observation of an Observer
It is easy to get lost in Mr. Palomar’s world. He is an observer who does not just observe but also reflects in order to define. While this approach to observation constructs an entrancing voice, it seems to miss the point of observing. Observation is not about understanding. We can generalize things and perhaps define phenomena, such as the waves so that they are palpable, but when we utterly define something, we stop caring about the actual thing or event. A concrete definition serves as a point of dismissal. It is in the same way we look at a tree and say “oh, that is an oak tree”. At that moment, we disregard the individuality of the tree. We dismiss the way that the individual pieces of bark warp around one another, or the extreme angles a branch took in its own growth. In some ways, Mr. Palomar tries to grasp this. He is absolutely mesmerized by a specific wave and spends an obscene amount of time studying it. However, he does not do this for the enjoyment of the wave, but rather to define all other waves. He runs into the same issue when worrying over the presence of a sunbather. Rather than perceiving her existence along with the rest of the world, he fixates on her existence and objectifies her through his obsessive avoidance of objectifying her. The moment someone can not simply accept that an exposed body exists and then dismiss it, as one does with most visual information, a person is either objectifying or shaming the human form.
In the short story, “Moon in the Afternoon”, Mr. Palomar assumes that the moon needs him in order to exist. While that is a sentimental perspective, it is also a selfish one. This sentiment is made apparent in two different lines. Early in the passage, it states “Nobody looks at the moon, in the afternoon, and this is the moment when it would most require our attention since its existence is still in doubt”. (Calvino, 35) This statement implies that Mr. Palomar believes himself to be necessary for the moon’s existence, and also that his observation, in this case, is not just for himself. So, he observes the changes of the moon for an extended period. He compares the moon to things that he understands, such as a satellite. Once the moon is bright enough to be seen by all, Mr. Palomar concludes his observation, for the “the moon no longer needs him”. Mr. Palomar’s personification of the moon seems like an excuse for him to observe. Perhaps, Mr. Palomar feels that it is too self-serving to perceive and experience the moon for his own pleasure, so he instead chooses to do it for the benefit of the moon.
Responses:
(Jiwoo Choi)
Your comparison of Mr. Palomer's method of observation to a mind map is a very definitive and accurate way of describing the way that he thinks. He chooses a singular object, form, or concept to study, and his observations from that point forward are not necessarily linear. Instead, his observations are sporadic, where some ideas connect to one another, and others seem out of place, but loosely connected to the focus. In not limiting his observation, Mr. Palomer ends up with a haphazard and disorganized description of that which he observes, but, nonetheless, it is more accurate than observations that are guided.
(Syd Jodon)
With this idea of imperceptible change, it leads me to wonder if that is the reason Mr. Palomar chooses to observe the moon. In the passage, he argues that he must observe the moon, for if he doesn't, no one will, and the moon's existence will be in question. Perhaps, when he makes such a bold claim, what he really means to say is that the existence of the moon's change will be in question. For, his observation of the moon is even during the period in which it changes the most. Anyone else who observes the moon, likely when it is most visible, will not know of nor acknowledge where it came from that night nor how it emerged and clarified as time passed.
Glad to see I'm not the only one who read the other chapters. I agree, Mr. Palomar is a rather selfish observer; he doesn't seem to grasp the idea that the world exists without us, and things that go unobserved do not in fact require an observer. It reminds me of something I watched a long time ago, where there is a painter who spends years dedicating himself to capturing the cosmos in all its beauty; he even travels into space and visits all the planets and stars, observing all the different alien landscapes and phenomena. Though he does become famous for creating his massive and beautiful paintings, he stops creating them after traveling the universe, as he realizes that, frankly, the cosmos is fine on it's own—it doesn't need him to capture it, as it already exists.
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