Office At Night

Edward Hopper’s painting “Office at Night” creates a psychological puzzle in the viewers mind. It appears as if the man is the boss of the woman, who seems to be his secretary. The way the man and woman are both positioned in the picture suggests that either the woman has asked the man and question and she is waiting for a response, she is expecting him to give her a new order, or she is standing by just to see what he will say or do next. Either way many viewers will interpret their actions differently as well as the relationship they have. Rolando Perez conceives the relationship of the couple differently than what most may perceive from the painting. Perez’s poem, Office at Night, theorizes that the man and woman are actually want an intimate relationship with each other but neither of them can express it to the other. The artwork Office at Night by Edward Hopper and the poem “Office at Night” by Rolando Perez and were written and painted during separate times, but are professedly connected to each other. Additionally, the poem expresses their silence in ways that have often been used to characterize the atmosphere of the painting overall. Furthermore, Hopper’s painting expresses a story about a man and a woman in which each viewer can interpret differently. The artist has organized the picture to seem as if two people belong in the office during whatever time period it may be, whether being at night or during the day. The typewriter on the opposing side of the room adds definition that there should be two people in the office. The painting seems to represent a story about a man and a woman who are potentially interested in each other, but neither are able to express their feelings. The woman seems to want the man more than the man wants her, her stance gives the viewer a feeling of desire. By the looks of her positioning she could be thinking or day dreaming, possibly about the man she spends most of her time with in the office. The man looks down at his desk in a state of concern, as if he is contemplating work or deep in thought, possibly about the woman (Painter). The mood is evoked from the painting as warm and calming, giving the viewer the sense that there are two people alone in the office at night. The woman gives off her own feeling of wish, like she is wishing for the man to give her the attention she needs. The man gives off a questioning mood as if maybe he is already committed to someone yet his feelings about the woman in the office are getting in the way of his commitment. Papers are scattered on the office desk which suggests that there is turmoil and more than just work going on in the office. The women's form fitting dress and heavy make up contributes to the idea that there is more fun than work as well(Painter). Although most painting do not seem as if they go directly with a poem, “Office at Night” by Edward Hopper and Office at Night by Rolando Perez seem to go hand in hand.