--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Existentialist literature provides a more…" description: "\"“Existentialist literature provides a more satisfactory account of the persistence of feminine narcissism. Simone de Beauvoir makes use of the existent..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/sandra-lee-bartky-56868_books_existentialist-literature-provides-a-mor_2982628.jpg" --- # Existentialist literature provides a more satisfactory… ![“Existentialist literature provides a more satisfactory account of the persistence of feminine narcissism. Simone de Beauvoir makes use of the existentialist conception of 'situation' in order to account for the persistence of narcissism in the feminine personality. A woman's situation, i.e., those…” quote by Sandra Lee Bartky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/sandra-lee-bartky-56868_books_existentialist-literature-provides-a-mor_2982628.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/sandra-lee-bartky-56868_books_existentialist-literature-provides-a-mor_2982628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/846/sandra-lee-bartky-56868_books_existentialist-literature-provides-a-mor_2982628.jpg) > ““Existentialist literature provides a more satisfactory account of the persistence of feminine narcissism. Simone de Beauvoir makes use of the existentialist conception of 'situation' in order to account for the persistence of narcissism in the feminine personality. A woman's situation, i.e., those meanings derived from the total context in which she comes to maturity, disposes her to apprehend her body not as the instrument of her transcendence, but as 'an object destined for another.' Knowing that she is to be subjected to the cold appraisal of the male connoisseur and that her life prospects may depend on how she is seen, a woman learns to appraise herself first. The sexual objectification of women produces a duality in feminine consciousness. The gaze of the Other is internalized so that I myself become at once seer and seen, appraiser and the thing appraised.”” [Sandra Lee Bartky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-lee-bartky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feminine narcissism persists because women internalize the male gaze, seeing themselves as objects for others, which shapes self‑valuation. **In simple terms:** Women see themselves through others’ eyes. Key Takeaway Challenge internalized objectification. Themes gender philosophy psychology Mood critical analytical Type theoretical feminist When to use this quote - academic discourse - gender studies - personal reflection - activism Key Concepts objectification gaze identity situationalism Questions to Reflect On - How does the male gaze affect your self‑view? - What practices resist objectification? A Different Perspective Changing deep cultural narratives is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Existentialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existentialism/) ## Related quotes > [“But I’ve been reading A Very Easy Death, about Simone de Beauvoir’s mother dying of cancer – it’s just brilliant. It really helped me.’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/but-i-ve-been-reading-a-very-easy-death-about-simone-de-beauvoir-s/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [“What is the book (or books) you’ve given most as a gift, and why? 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George Sand, Marguerite Duras and Simone de Beauvoir are great French women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-binoche/i-am-not-a-great-french-woman-george-sand-marguerite-duras-and-simone/) [Juliette Binoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-binoche/) ## More by Sandra Lee Bartky > [“Indeed, the exigencies of female tenderness are such as virtually to guarantee the man's absolution by the woman--not on her terms, but on his.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-lee-bartky/indeed-the-exigencies-of-female-tenderness-are-such-as-virtually-to/) [Sandra Lee Bartky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-lee-bartky/) > [“While women suffer from our relative lack of power in the world and often resent it, certain dimensions of this powerlessness may seem abstract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-lee-bartky/while-women-suffer-from-our-relative-lack-of-power-in-the-world-and/) [Sandra Lee Bartky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-lee-bartky/) > [“Why isn't every woman a feminist? 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