John Berger makes a bold statement in saying " No other relic or text from the past can offer such a direct testimony about the world which surrounded other people at other times. In this respect images are more precise and richer than literature," (Ways of Reading, 106). This statement is very untrue. Literature has been the focal point of all modern learning.. Literature lets the reader feel what the author is thinking, not just see it as you would in a painting. This can be proven after reading Berger 's descriptions of paintings in Ways of Seeing and also reading parts of literature written by W.E.B Dubois.

When a reader reads literature it is easy to feel what the author is writing about . An author's job is to show the reader his point of view. He does this by describing things, offering opinions, and making conclusions. By doing this the author can get his point across and the reader can hopefully relate to him. A good author will also paint his own picture by words. He will leave the reader with a picture in his head of what he is describing. A writer's words are stronger than the stroke of an artist.

An example of this could be from W.E.B Dubois 's Of the Meani

Photographs are not a good way of expressing images either. Berger says " The camera isolated momentary appearances and in doing so destroyed the idea that images were timeless," ( 113) . He is saying that when you take a picture it is no longer a picture that can be looked at forever and ever, it is just a quick pause in the scene. This quick pause is not long enough for the viewer to make any valid conclusion. Life can pass one by in the blink of an eye. This is how long it takes to snap a photograph, therefore no central idea or picture can be seen.

Again Berger contradicts himself in talking about the one Regent in the picture on page 111. Berger talks about how the painter must seduce the viewer into seeing what he or she wants them to see. He says " Hals must almost seduce us into believing that we know the personality traits of the men and women portrayed." (111) He talks about the Regent being drunk , but there is no evidence to support this. My interpretation of this picture is a man with a white and black cloak with long hair. The idea of the man being drunk is inconclusive. This man could be seen in so many different opinions and states. He could be seen as tired or sick, or hungry. If this man was being written about in literature there would be a definite described state. The author would most likely tell us he was drunk or lead us into what he wants us to think.

Berger, John. "Ways of Seeing." Ways of Reading. Ed. David Bartholomae and Anthony Petrosky. Bedford/St. Martin's: New York, Boston, 1999. Pg 104-132.

In conclusion, literature is what has built this nation and world from the ground up. Unfortunately John Berger did not feel this way. Images give us a picture that we can see with our eyes, but images leave out the feelings we see in our heart. Literature gives us the power to see and feel everything. The heart and mind will forever be more powerful than the eye.

Finally, Berger talks

Some common words found in the essay are:
St Matthew, John Berger, Finally Berger, Women Bed, Progress DuBois, WEB Dubois, Frans Hals, York Boston, anthony petrosky bedford/st, Petrosky Bedford/St, Anthony Petrosky, petrosky bedford/st martin's, york boston 1999, martin's york, ed david, petrosky bedford/st, anthony petrosky, david bartholomae, reading ed, meaning progress, martin's york boston, bedford/st martin's york, quick pause, paints picture, bartholomae anthony,
Approximate Word count = 1310
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)