Objectification, Self-Objectification, and Identification with the Aggressor

Aggressor-Victim and Author-Reader Relationships in Three Novellas About IncestAbout Incest

Abstract

This article aims to address a gap regarding the relationship between two phenomena—objectification and identification with the aggressor—which has been overlooked in the critical discourse. While these phenomena have been studied separately, their connection has not been explored. The article proposes to fill this gap by examining works of literature. By analyzing three Israeli novellas that tackle the theme of incest, we aim to demonstrate that the process of adopting the identity of the aggressor occurs within the realm of objectification, after the victim has been stripped of their original self. This identification goes beyond the victim’s relationship with the aggressor and extends to other interactions, turning the victim into a victimizer themselves. In literary works, this identification is evident not only in the plot, where the victim becomes the aggressor within the fictional world, but also in their relationship with the readers. The narrator sometimes imposes herself forcefully on the reader, expressing aggression. The reader finds themselves trapped in a violent situation with no means of escape. Through projective identification, the trauma is subtly transferred to the reader. This phenomenon manifests in various forms, such as the use of vivid aesthetic language, as seen in the novel “Far From His Absence” by Shez (2010), or the utilization of a second-person narrative that evokes disgust rather than sympathy, as depicted in “Love” by Maayan Eitan (2020) and “Sdommel” by Leah Aini (2001). These works immerse the reader in a traumatizing unreality, conveying feelings of isolation and objectification, ultimately forging a distinct and intense relationship between the author and her readers.