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Poststructuralism

Panopticism as a whole, explores the ideas of power, control, and the compliance of those

who are being watched at all times. More specifically, panopticism recognizes that power is

invisible and the structure of that power is constant. Panopcticism was developed by French

philosopher Michel Foucault, who concluded that most institutions are a form of the panopticon.

The panopticon describes a structure which a watchmen in the center is able to see all of the

inmates, though the inmates are unable to decipher if they are being watched or not, thus

allowing for compliance and power to be implemented at all times. Developed into a method of

thinking, Foucault viewed panopticism as a form of experiment where different situations allow

for behavior to be modified. A major part of panopticism includes the idea of classification and

how those classifications are internalized as social norms. This idea is translated into one of

Foucaults main theme which focused on the mentally ill and how we have secluded them from

the rest of society over time. Society has classified certain behaviors as being mentally ill,

whereas in the 1700s and 1800s, people who were mentally ill were seen as wise and offered

new perspective. Today, we have separate institutions for those who are mentally ill and seclude

them from the rest of the institutions. This demonstrates how the classifications and values

attached to institutions are always changing. Prisons are the most commonly recognizable form

of the panopticon, though there are others that represent it, too. Places like schools enforce a sort

of collective individualism by providing individual desks, individual grades, all while enforcing

collectivism by pushing individuals into one space. At the same time, there is a clear distinction

between the student and the teacher, and even among the teacher and the principal or vice

principal.
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Donna Tartts The Secret History explores many institutions where power and control are

a major factor, especially considering that it takes place at a university. That in itself proposes an

institution of power between the students and the administration. However, the real impact of

power is shown through the police investigation of Bunnys disappearance and eventual murder.

Among the initial search party for Bunny, Richard described the scene as having an abundance of

policemen, college administrators, Boy Scouts, maintenance workers and security guards, about

thirty Hamden students, and mobs of townspeople. (Tartt, p. 326). With the abundance of people

around, Richard, Francis, and Henry understand that they cannot act suspicious. By even placing

themselves in the position of joining a search party, they are automatically complying to societys

expectations of the situation. Everyone on the campus is familiar with them and the fact that they

are Bunnys best friends, thus expecting them to want to search for him in the wake of his

disappearance. However, no one knows that they murdered Bunny. In fact, the community is

unaware they had anything to do with his disappearance. On the other hand, all five of the

group members constantly feel under a certain gaze and comply because of it. In this way,

Richard, Francis, and Henry are being watched by virtually everyone in the community and act

accordingly they remain pleasant and unsuspicious. Richard, Francis, and Henry then run into

a policeman, where they exchange a quick conversation, each of them acting chipper and making

it clear that they know Bunny and are his close friends (Tartt,p. 328). However, Richard then

thinks to himself: If this was a movie, [he] thought, looking pleasantly into the pleasant beefy

face of the policemanif this was a movie, [theyd] all be fidgeting and acting really

suspicious. (Tartt, p. 328). Richard, Francis, and Henry all collectively understand the authority
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of the police in respect to themselves. Police are implemented to serve and to protect the people,

and more specifically, they indirectly control mechanisms of discipline. Laws are made to help

protect the people and keep citizens under control. Police must abide by laws by enforcing the

law. Under the radar of the police, the group feels as if they must not only obey the police, but

the laws as well, especially because they have already broken several, including murder. Tartts

use of comparing this scenario to that of a movie should also be noted because it implies that

Richard, Francis, and Henry are playing a part. Similar to when someone gets pulled over by a

policeman, they will try to put on their best front to make themselves look as least as guilty as

possible. Even in situations where we may not be doing anything wrong, we still take extra

precautions around police so that they wouldnt have any further reason to condemn us if we

were to do something wrong. Richard notes that if it were a movie, they would be acting in the

complete opposite way, probably in a way which makes them look suspicious. So, to act pleasant

and calm in front of a policeman, and to comply with what he says, implies that there will always

be a structure of power involving the police and the obligation to seem as least threatening,

guilty, and suspicious as possible.

To take a step back even further, we can look at the fact that the novel takes place at a

major structure of power and control: a university. As mentioned before, schools inherently have

an individualized structure, but are run by authoritative powers. From elementary until high

school, school is aimed at focusing on yourself and the growth of your own knowledge, but you

are constantly monitored by those who have higher authority, and must pass a certain set of

criteria to keep moving up. Even those who have direct authority over the students have direct

authority over them, who have direct authority over them. As a vicious hierarchy, its goal is to

keep and maintain discipline. University also follows the Foucault idea of knowledge is power
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and that knowledge is a form of being able to have and maintain control over others. This is why

Richards Greek professor, Julian, is so important to the novel. From the beginning of Richards

experience at Hampden, it becomes incredibly clear that the circle of students whom study Greek

are a very close-knit, secluded group. This is largely do to Julian and his particular taste in

students. After Richard explains to his advisor that he wishes to be enrolled in Greek, he informs

him that the only Greek professor is highly selective with who he instructs. He notes that he

accepts only a limited number of students. A very limited number. Besides, in my opinion, he

conducts the selection on a person basis rather than academic basis he has what I think are

some very odd ideas about teaching. He and his students have virtually no contact with the rest

of the division I am told that to study with him one must have read the right things, hold

similar views. (Tartt, p. 14). This already shows a division of power between the student and the

teacher, indicating that the student has no overall authority over a professor, but it is usually the

other way around. It also implies that only a certain kind of student would to be accepted by a

certain kind of professor, automatically establishing a division between those who are not suited

enough to be in his class. This places authority on the students who are enrolled in his class

(Camila, Bunny, Henry, Francis, and Charles) over the ones who are not (Richard). This division

also connects back to the idea that knowledge is power. If Julian only accepts certain students

who have read and know certain things, Julian included, that implies that they should be separate

and divided from those who do not. On the flip side, Julians odd way of teaching also dismantles

authority in a way because he is not allowed to have closed classes or to be able to accept only

certain students, but he does anyways, and no one has tried to stop him. This implies that not

only may certain authority figures hold power, but a certain kind of authority figure.
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Tartt, Donna. The Secret History. London: Penguin , 2015. Print.