threatening gesture

baby

threat

staring

is an act begun precisely in order not to be accomplished.

Both Sylvia's move forward with the knife and Oscar's move toward it correspond to the Lacanian definition of the threatening gesture: it is not a gesture that is interrupted, i.e., a gesture intended to be carried out but prevented from reaching its goal by an external obstacle. It is, on the contrary, something that was already begun in order not to be accomplished, not to be brought to its conclusion (Zizek 1989 : 49)

is something begun in order not to be accomplished not to be brought to its conclusion.

threatening gesture, n.All

threatening gesture