Looking back now, I can only remember a time when the world seemed to have a million eyes, silently opening wherever I went. Most of the time they were camouflaged, like the closed eyes of green lizards in green trees. But then they snapped open -- on the bus, in the pharmacy -- and I felt the intensity of all that looking, the desire and desperation.
In Jeffrey Eugenides' book "Middlesex," the narrator reflects on the sensation of being watched throughout life. This feeling is likened to an omnipresent gaze, where people seem to scrutinize him quietly, much like the hidden eyes of lizards blending into their surroundings. The experience of feeling observed creates a sense of awareness and self-consciousness in various public spaces.
This perception of constant watchfulness evokes a mix of emotions, from anxiety to an understanding of human connection. The desire and desperation behind those gazes suggest a deeper yearning for recognition and intimacy, highlighting the complexity of human interactions in everyday life.
