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"How can I draw myself using a mirror?" — I came across this question and couldn't help but wonder if it should be "draw me". Draw here is to mean "make a picture".

What do you think?

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3 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

When the object of the verb is the same as the subject, the reflexive form of the pronoun is called for. You are both the subject (the one doing the drawing) and the object (the one being drawn) and so the reflexive form is correct: I draw myself. Whether the verb is active or passive has no bearing.

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"Our civilization, if it is to endure, must have a star on which to fix its eyes - something distant and magnetic to draw it on, something to strive towards, beyond the shifting needs and passions and prejudices of the moment." I became interested to know the proper use of 'draw' while reading the cited statement. – Rod Rook Jan 30 at 18:52
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The cited statement is neither the same meaning of "draw" nor the same arrangement of subject/object as your example in the actual question.... The verb in this case is a phrasal verb, to draw on (or onwards), meaning to motivate or inspire. The subject is "something" (a star) and the object is "it" (our civilization). The star is not drawing itself onward and the civilization is not drawing itself onward. – Hellion Jan 30 at 19:49
In support of Hellion, an addition metaphor for "draw it" in this case is "to pull" – horatio Jan 30 at 21:05
Thank you for your input. I now agree that 'draw it' means 'pull it' or 'attract it'. I got confused in analyzing the sentence structure. I learned something, so it wasn't a total waste of time. – Rod Rook Feb 1 at 1:30
up vote 2 down vote

When a person does something reflexively to oneself, the "self" part is necessary.

Examples:

I like myself.
John likes himself.
How does one award oneself?
Jane was unable to draw herself.

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I understand your logic, but I thought 'draw' in the sense I used is somewhat different from the verbs you used. Unlike the verbs you used, 'draw' does not act upon me. I took a picture of me. In this case, I don't say, "I took picture of myself." – Rod Rook Jan 30 at 17:31
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Perhaps you don't, but you should. – Hellion Jan 30 at 17:53
Don't you mean reflexively? Recursively implies doing it over and over. – Robusto Jan 30 at 19:15
Thanks, Robusto. Fixed! – Richard Rodriguez Jan 30 at 20:39
"Draw on the readings' was in my university assignment description, and it doesn't mean to physically draw on the paper with pencil, but another way of saying 'use the readings to complete your essay.' – amanda witt Jan 30 at 21:35
up vote 0 down vote

Myself is correct. It replaces me as the object of a verb.

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