She quieted, and turned away under his stare. Inadvertently, he'd gained the upper hand. He had somehow communicated the thought that had bobbed up in his thoughts unexpectedly: that her strength and poise were no more than a mirror image of his own importance, an image of the power and self-satisfaction the manager of the Ilium Works could have, if he wanted it. In a fleeting second she became a helpless, bluffing little girl in his thoughts, and he was able to feel real tenderness toward her.
In this passage from "Player Piano" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., a complex dynamic between two characters is explored. The man realizes that under his gaze, the woman he has been observing feels vulnerable and diminished. His perception shifts, and instead of seeing her as a figure of strength, he begins to view her as representing his own power, illustrating a sense of dominance he could exert if desired.
This moment evokes...
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
