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William Pollack: Inside the World of Boys
The story of Inside the World of Boys by William Pollack brings the attention to us that the boys often suffer from low-self esteem, in large part due to “the boy code”, the unspoken rules that compel them to feel they need to hide their emotions and keep them from exposure. In effect, “the boy code” causes the problem of gender gap between boys and girls in academic performances. I choose this essay because I am concerned with how “the boy code” raises the gender gap between boys and girls in their academic performances and how our societies often underestimate all emotional needs of boys. This story is not only a story but also is a research paper of Pollack which is supported by his research results and statistics. The background story of Adam and his personal conversation with his mother make this story so fascinating and touching. It brings a social message to parents, school, and societies.
William Pollack, PhD, an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, uses his clinical practice to observe a national crisis, a “gender strait-jacketing” of boys (62). Pollack chooses Adam, a fourteen-year old boy who is being bullied and once a good student, as his patient and example of how boys often feel compelled to wear masks to hide their true feelings and thoughts. He does not know how to ask help, even to his mother; in result, his academic performance is left behind because of his inside struggles. Pollack deduces that boys’ self-esteem as learner is far more fragile than of most girls which boys are afraid to sit in front of row or be active in class because they do not want to be called as a nerd, dork, or something like that (65). Recent research indicates...
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...ays, I hope that schools, teachers, as well as societies can do an action to stop this bullying. For some reason, our societies still cannot accept that boys still need attention, assistance, and empathy because they think that they are boys, and boys do not need something like that. As Pollack says that this will cause some destruction on some boys in their emotions expressions, academic and social performances, or even mentalities. Pollack has already brought this message to us, and it is time for us to make it right to our children’s future.
Works Cited
Pollack, William. “Inside The World of Boys.” Sound Ideas. Eds. Michael Krasny and M.E. Sokokik. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 62-66. Print.
“Ten surprising statistics on women in the workplace.” 15 February 2010. Web. 16 March 2011 < http://collegetimes.us/10-surprising-statistics-on-women-in-the-workplace>.
In the essay, “Changing the World One Boy at a Time” written by Mark Honigsbaum, boys are lost or they are in crisis. These boys have troubles in their everyday life. The author illustrates that boys need a mature male adult to help them guide to the right path. To convey his message, Honigsbaum explains that these boys have psychological issues. He then states that the event, where they receive a psychological test, reveals a boy’s personality. Lastly, he argues that to make the right decision, a boy needs the guidance of a mentor. He presents those arguments with the use of statistics, expert opinion, rhetorical questions, anecdotes and comparison.
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