Both Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler and Population: 485 by Michael Perry explore ideas of masculinity and manhood, but I think Butler shares a more diverse representation of masculinity through his different characters.
What it means to be a man
The concept of masculinity is considered as the qualities and characteristics of a man, typical what is appropriate to a man. In this article, A Community Psychology of Men and Masculinity: Historical and Conceptual Review, The author Eric S. Mankowski and Kenneth I. Maton, analyze four main themes: "Men as gendered beings, the privilege and damage of being a masculine man, men as a privileged group, and men’s power and subjective powerlessness. The second and fourth themes are described as
All of mans behavior comes from somewhere in the universe, but the most important is how we control our emotions. Perry 's life story brought him a sense of humor and wisdom to belong deeply to both the community and the land. He shows his responsibility as a fireman saving lives of women and children, maybe this is the best way he could express his manliness. Perry States, "There is an undeniable thrill in fighting fire ... at some level most of us have a perverse hanger for danger, a desire to be tested, to survive fire-a trial by fire literally." However, Butler characters showed their aggressiveness and poor reasoning again each other and even try to escape from the land. One of Butler 's character Ronny says, “I want to break out of here so bad I don 't even know where I want to go. May be any places I guess.... I am a man. I 'm a goddamned person. And I 'm restless as hell. I 've tried running away. I try about three times a year. Mostly in the summer."(58) Which is the opposite of Perry who is looking for a place in the present. Perry says "Captive of my heart and feet, I 'm wandering fool, but I 've got the sense to keep returning. On this land, in this place, with this people I am where I belong."(234) I don 't think Ronny ever feel that way, I don 't think he feels he is belong to Little-wing, furthermore there is nothing for him to do over there. Shortly after his wedding
On my opinion I think a good man is someone who recognizes his mistakes and profits from them, also a man is someone compassionate, sensitive, carrying, strong and valuable. I think Butler did a good job by showing his characters Lee and Beth weaknesses such as a fire burn inside their heart. They have struggle throughout their lives, that fire is love. Versus Perry who had to struggle with both the sentimental and natural fire, but later they reveals their ability and humility of mankind. In this article The Fireman: Immaculate Manhood, Robyn Cooper reveal many concepts of fire. He says, "As spirit, fire is both purifying and heavenly, punitive and damning. Fire also symbolize love and passion, as purifying and confining, burning passion as consuming and destroying. Fire is defined as masculine principle because of the association of fire and heat with energy, life and power (man is sun, woman is moon). In relation to sexual generation it was traditionally held that the spark of the semen ignited the cold womb to generate life. But the gender fire is more complex and contradictory." (143) As I said before the fire mansion has a double meaning, it is pure love that is out of control, Love that makes Beth questioning herself. Furthermore, she reveal she felt self-conscious, when Lee and Chloe came for their wedding, she couldn 't keep her eyes out of Lee, and I think she couldn 't answer what she felt in
The topics that Joe Ehrmann uses as framework for his Building Men for Others program are quite intriguing and make you really question masculinity. The first topic, rejecting false masculinity, can be interpreted a few different ways. In the book, it states: “As young boys, we’re told to be men, or to act like men” soon followed with “we’ve got all these parents say ‘be a man’ to boys that have no concept of what that means. I completely agree with the statement of Joe Ehrmann and often question the definition of ‘being a man’. Many boys and men will reject the idea of a man being anything other than being big and strong or having power.
In Kimmel’s essay “’Bros Before Hos’: The Guy Code” he argues that the influence of society on masculinity is equal to or greater than biological influences on masculinity. In the essay, Kimmel uses various surveys and interviews to validate his argument. He points to peers, coaches, and family members as the people most likely to influence the development of a man’s masculinity. When a man has his manliness questioned, he immediately makes the decision never to say or do whatever caused him to be called a wimp, or unmanly. Kimmel’s argument is somewhat effective because the readers get firsthand accounts from the interviewees but the author does not provide any statistics to support his argument.
In the essay, “The High Cost of Manliness,” writer Robert Jensen discusses the harmful effects of having male specific characteristics, such as masculinity. Jensen realizes that men’s actions and ways of living are judged based upon the characteristic of being manly. He argues that there is no valid reason to have characteristics associated with being male. Society has created the notion that masculinity is the characteristic that defines males as males.
He says that Perry, who grew up without love, direction, or moral values, is “. a very oriented, hyper-alert to things going on about him, and shows no sign of confusion.
Bradbury first depicted fire as a hurtful force through Montag, a fireman, who burn books. With the converted mentality of his culture, “it was [Montag’s] pleasure to burn. It was a special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (3). Montag’s culture sees burning as an enjoyment; however, the fire portrayed here demonstrates the destruction of knowledge and personality. While Montag’s profession brings him joy he does not understand that burning is the most permanent form of destruction. He is oblivious to his governments’ strong desire to eliminate the ideas and knowledge that books hold. In this society, where ignorance is bliss and their phobia of unhappiness controls all aspects of life, people believe that their destructive fire “is bright and…clean”, as it is used as a means to keep themselves oblivious and happy (60). In addition, Bradbury establishes the difference in the symbolisms of fire by naming part one of his novel “The Hearth and the Salamander”. The hearth is the fireplace of the home and is the most positive image of fire. This fire contributes warmth and restores relationships between people. The salamander, the symbol of the firemen, and who personify fire’s destruction is contrasted with the hearth, which represents restoration.
The imagery of fire continues in the story; the building of their fires, how the man molds the fires, and how they stoke the fire. When the boy gets sick the father is referred to many times of how he builds and rekindles the fire. This actual fire is a symbol for the fire that the man and the boy discuss carrying within in them. The man fights to save his son and the fire within the boy
Fire Fire is the element of change, passion, authority and leadership. Household (domestic) fire represents comfort, friendliness and human strength.
...in records, in people's heads, any way at all so long as it was safe, silverfish, rust and dry-rot, and men with matches.”(141). The symbolism of the phoenix makes Guy realize that mission was an appealing mission because it was a step towards a normal society. This is how the phoenix helps fire’s representation in the book be an excellent one.
Fire has become less a means of human survival and more of a form of entertainment. This world of shallow hedonistic people strives to be the same and the word “intelligence” is considered a dirty word. This society maintains a focus on a certain equality, where people born unequal made equal. Funerals for the dead are eliminated due to the sadness they bring and death is forgotten about quickly, with bodies being incinerated without a proper ceremony. Fire is idolized by this society and is considered the means to cleanliness.
To begin with, fire is one of the symbols that represents life. Initially, Jeannette Walls was with her
1. When the fire goes out it symbolizes the loss of all remaining civility and the beginning of absolute savagery. The fire was the boys' only link to the past, as it was the one true technology they had. Fire symbolizes man's domination and manipulation of nature. As the fire goes out the boys are no longer people, but animals. It is also important to note that the fire was voluntarily allowed to die.
Manhood had not always existed; it was created through culture. Depending on the era, masculinity claimed a different meaning. But in all of its wandering definitions, it consistently contains opposition to a set of “others,” meaning racial and sexual minorities. (pp.45) One of the first definitions was the Marketplace Man, where capitalism revolved around his success in power, wealth, and status. A man devoted himself to his work and family came second. Although this is one of the first standing definitions, it still finds its spot in today’s definition, where masculinity consists of having a high paying job, an attractive young wife, and
... E Glenn, and Nancy B Sherrod. The psychology of men and masculinity:Research status and future directions. New York: John Wiley and sons, 2001.
In the views of Micheal Kimmel “hegemonic masculinity” is a socially constructed process where men are pressured by social norms of masculine ideals to perform behaviors of a “true man” and its influence on young male’s growth. It is the ideology that being a man with power and expressing control over women is a dominant factor of being a biological male. The structure of masculinity was developed within the 18th to 19th century, as men who owned property and provided for his family with strength related work environments was the perfect example of being a generic “American man.” Kimmel introduces Marketplace Manhood and its relation to American men. He states, “Marketplace Masculinity describes the normative definition of American masculinity.
...man sees clearly now, he does not trust his wife at all and thinks she’s a “witch”. The decision Goodman made changed his outlook on everything.