- At the beginning of this chapter, it is often said that beauty is subjective and is determined from the point of view of those who appreciate it. The definition of beauty revealed by art is different in different times and in different social situations. I strongly agree with this viewpoint, and my idea is that everyone’s definition of beauty is different, and we should not use any definition such as white or thin to be considered beautiful. The beauty in this era now is actually aberrant. Everyone is seeking to be thin to be considered beautiful. But in fact, I think the beauty of the body is not defined in this way. Excessive dieting or cosmetic surgery is a kind of lack of confidence in beauty. We should be inclusive of this. Nowadays, people pursue beauty to the extreme, or even to excess.
- My favorite work in the first chapter is the sculpture of Venus. She is the beauty that breaks the conventional aesthetics, she is the beauty of mutilation. This display of the form of Eros is appreciated by the whole world and is recognized by the world as a model of female beauty. The long, spiraling body, wide hips, high waist, exposed breasts, thin shoulders and relatively small head were hailed by the late classical aesthetics of ancient Greek culture as the standard by which the perfect woman was judged. This statue prompted a large series of statues of goddesses emphasizing this contrast, dating from about 120 BCE. The figure does not appear to be a flat figure, but rather displays a subtle sweetness of demeanor: the center of the body falls on the right leg, while the left leg tilts to the right. Contrary to this demeanor, the upper body of the goddess is tilted to the left. The result of this mechanical balance is to draw attention to the graceful curves of the goddess’ body. The remaining part of the arm that has been cut off extends forward, perfectly balancing this display of weight and strength. A long, slender neck naturally supports a beautiful long melon face and triangular forehead, with center-parted curls encircling the face and hair tied in a bundle with a ribbon at the back of the neck: small eyes looking away and soft lips. A wide cloak slides down to the crotch, showing multiple layers of folds, revealing the beauty of the goddess’s physique and giving a sense of contrast between the sexy nude part and the part wrapped in clothes at the same time. The rich wavy drapery falls in a fashion that further emphasizes this contrast. The leg to which the body weight falls is hidden under the folds of the large drape, and the side where the fabric falls is very smooth, thus showing the elegant curves of the body, and the long skirt falls naturally, showing the smooth folds of the dress, giving the goddess a soft sense of flow.
- It has not been deliberately dieting and waist corseted by the ravages of her body rich and full, full of youth, fitness and full of vitality, not weak, weak, need to be protected by men. This is exactly the image of modern women that we are calling for, which is beyond the traditional male gaze.
SHUWEN 
Thorough discussion, Shuwen. Make sure that you are using your own words.
For your next annotation, use the Annotated bibliography style guide that you will find under Read. Include the reference in proper form, followed by your annotation. Focus on Purpose, Thesis and Summary (connection, quote, implication and question sections are optional)
List the bibliographical information, then the purpose (what is the intent?) in one sentence, followed by thesis (what arguing?) and summary of ideas that support the thesis. Thinking through the purpose, thesis, then summarizing the main ideas covered is a very good practice to get into.
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