Discipline Punishment Panopticism By Michel Foucault By Abriana

“Discipline & Punishment Panopticism” By: Michel Foucault By: Abriana, Jessenia, Kristen, Ela’jah

Summary & Key Word in the Text Summary: Discipline and Punishment Panopticism describes the power between a person who is being watched by others, and by the person who is watching. It is displayed in an event where a cellmate is being watched behind a camera by a guard, and has realization that he/she is being watched. The text shows different reactions to the situation being presented. Key Words: -Periphery: The outer limits or edge of an area or object. -Panoptic: Showing or seeing the whole view at once. -Panopticism: A social theory developed by Michel Foucault in his book Discipline and Punishment.

Theme/Central Idea *When someone is being watched they watch themselves therefore the watcher has the power*

Examples from “Discipline and Punishment” 1. )“To induce in the inmate a state of conscious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power”(Foucault 27). 2. )“In view of this, Bentham laid down the principle that power should be visible and unverifiable visible: the inmate will constantly have before his eyes the tall outline of the central tower from which he is spied upon. Unverifiable: the inmate must never know whether he is being looked at at anyone moment; but he must be sure that he may always be so”(Foucault 28).

How it connects to theme 1. He knows that he is being watched, therefore his behavior will be affected. Also the cellmate is conscious that the watcher knows what he is doing. 2. )The inmate is aware that he is always being watched because there is an object in the room. Although, the watcher can leave at any time the inmate will always believe that he is being watched because all he can see is the camera looking at him.

Examples from The Crucible 3. ) “Abigail: I want to open myself! I want the light of God, i wanted the sweet love of Jesus! I danced for the devil; i saw him; i wrote in his book; i go back to jesus; i kiss his hand. I saw Sarah Good with the devil! i saw Goody Osburn with the devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the devil”(Miller 48). 4. )”Parris: Such a christian will not come to church but once a month”(Miller 48).

How it connects to theme 3. ) Abigail starts shouting out who she saw with the devil. In this example, she is the watcher, and those who are being watched are Sarah Good, Goody Osburn, and Bridget Bishop. Therefore three females that are being watched have to display good behavior because they were accused of witchcraft. 4. ) This quote is directed to John Proctor. It shows that John was aware that he was being watched. He just didn't know when. Again this shows that the person being watched is subjected to the watcher who is in control of the power.

How Does The Central Idea Connect to The Crucible The knowledge comes from people watching which gives them the power. Abigail is watching the girls, the girls are watching everyone in the town. In the text the person behind the monitor is watching the cellmate that is behind bars.

Thesis Statement Arthur Miller’s The Crucible shows us that although we think we have control over ourselves, we do not because our watchers have power over us.