Not
everyone knows the background of this famous kiss so let me give you the
nonverbal cues that give you insight into what really happened. This is our iconic image of a passionate
kiss, but the kiss is really only the man being very intense in passionate. Notice
how his large right hand is holding her in close to him and how awkwardly his left
arm crook holds her head and how the fingers of his left hand are not caressing
but tensely held together. And see how his kiss pressed down on her face and she
doesn’t move up and towards him. ( Fingers
gently curved and touching indicate tenderness and intimacy and I don’t see
that here. )Notice her left arm how its pulled back rather than wrapped around
him and look closely at the modified fist her curved fingers tense fingers are formed
in. This is suppressed resistance and that also seems in her twisted posture.
See how her upper body is being pushed back and her head is not
pressing towards the kiss. If you look from the legs to oddly hanging arm and
body you can see she looks like a soft mannequin or doll limp and passive
rather than actively and willingly participating in the kiss. When you under
stress one response is to go limp and that’s what she is doing.
