Synthesis Essay On Be A Man

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In our society what makes a man? There are many answers to this particular question based on perspective. As children, boys are expected to play with trucks and action figures, unlike girls who are expected to play with dolls and dress up. With these gender stereotypes, it’s destined for young boys to want to be emasculated to fit in the stereotypes needed to survive in our society. When defining “masculinity” it states that it is a possession of quality traditionally associated with men. These “traditional” qualities can affect the minds of children. An expression used that affects young boys is “ Be a man”. Often this phrase is used when they displaying emotion, as in being hurt physically or emotionally. In an essay by, Paul Theroux, when defining “be a man” he states, “ It means: Be stupid, be unfeeling, …show more content…

At a young age, many young boys are put into sports, however many are not as well. In this collection of essays, What Makes a Man: 22 Writers Imagine the Future author Rebecca Walkers, dives into the pressures boys face in their life. After dropping off her child at middle school he had come home with a changed viewpoint on what he should be. According to Walker, he had suggested into playing sports based on the viewpoint, “Maybe girls will like me if I play sports.” Even at young age boys have been implemented with the fact that they need to be masculine in order to be appealing to girls. Meaning to our society this is an additional quality that is traditionally associated with men. In addition to that she worried how he would be portrayed, “My son could compete and score, perform and win, or be an outcast or worse, invisible, his unique gifts unnoticed and unharvested, the world around him that much more impoverished.” She not only feared of her son becoming an outcast but worried that his true talents will go unnoticed if he did not comply with

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