Dissecting George Miles: Objectification, the Gaze, and Ontological Uncertainty in Dennis Cooper's Closer

Abstract

This article offers a close reading of Dennis Cooper's 1989 cult novel Closer. Despite focusing on the experiences of gay males, I argue that Closer transcends identity politics by problematizing the status and treatment of the other in a contemporary Western setting. In doing so, the novel explores the theme of objectification from both a superficial and ontological perspective: Superficially, the objectification of the protagonist George Miles seems to mirror the way that women are objectified under patriarchy, however, from an ontological perspective, Closer's symbolism suggests a much deeper search for meaning that precipitates from its character's ontological uncertainties. I argue that Closer engages the reader in this search by making them aware of their own gaze, thus incriminating them in a figurative search for meaning within the textualized body.