Themes of Sunday in the Park The short story “Sunday in the Park” by Bel Kaufman contains many different themes. A theme presented in this story is how society expects certain behaviors on the roles men have. People use those stereotypes to define strangers when they walk by, but are they always true? In the story, there are two different fathers. The first man, known as Morton or Larry’s father, is described “city-pale” and “cooped up all week inside the gray factory-like university”. Morton is a university professor, and in stereotype, society expects a professor to be intelligent, polite, and someone to respect. Morton contributes to the themes on the roles of men and their behaviors. The role of being a university professor appears when …show more content…
In the story, Morton is not able to contribute in this theme. Instead of standing up to his own opinions, he agrees with Joe’s father and then begins to state his opinion. Eventually, he is stopped by Joe’s father. As the father begins to crush Morton with his reasoning, Morton does not stay and fix the problem, he walks out. Unlike the stereotype people have on men figures, Morton does not fit into this category, which therefore, cancels him out on the roles of …show more content…
He is known right away to be an intimidating character when he spits on the ground and does not look at Larry’s mother when she speaks. Society would think that he is intimidating, large, unlikable, and never to be messed with. When Larry’s mother tells Joe to stop throwing sand at Larry, Joe’s father encourages Joe to continue. Joe’s father defines the themes on the roles of men and behaviors. Being completely different from Morton, Joe’s father can be presented as a stereotypical man. He obviously knows how to stand up for himself and earn the best for him and his son. He does not back down like Morton and immediately gains what he has fought for with his actions. Just by slowly looking over Morton “from head to foot” and the way he speaks to Morton, Joe’s father fits the stereotype of men perfectly. His behaviors, such as his body language, the way he speaks, and his reasoning indicate he is exactly what he looks
Have you ever wondered why all men act the same? In the reading “Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code”, Michael Kimmel critics what it means to be a man and the “Guy Code” they are expected to follow. According to Kimmel, masculinity is a problematic social construct that invokes behaviors that men tend to follow unconsciously. The unconscious behaviors that men tend to follow is know as the “Guy Code” that is passed down to them when they were young. Kimmel informs the audience, mainly women about the negative effects inflicted upon men due to following the “Guy Code”. Kimmel uses pathos and logos very effectively to paint an image of why men act the way they do and how it hurts them.
Second, the father shows he is empathetic. For instance, when the narrator finds himself waiting on his father while he loads the steers into the trailer to take to the stockyard. His father insisted that he stay in the cab as he did not have steel-toed boots and could easily lose a toe, just as he had done. Again this shows how his father is worried about more than just getting work done. The narrator is intently watching in the rearview mirror as his father loads his favorite steer, Rug, onto the trailer and then finishes up with the others. Just then his father stopped. “When they were all embarked, when for the moment his work was done, his face fell slack and dull, and his shoulders slumped. And for a brief instant he stood still, motionless, as I had never
I believe Joe represents the battling Aboriginal of not only the Depression but early colonialist Australia. He is a man whom throughout the play fights for his rights, the basic necessities of life for his people as well as his cultural heritage.
In Paul Theroux’s article “The Male Myth” Theroux makes a point that he does not like the stereotypes placed on men in today’s society. Theroux’s article is focused on exposing the stereotypes that men face and the reasons for their occurrence. He claims that writers and many others are directly affected by the expectations of masculinity that are thoroughly incorporated in America. The ideas of masculinity are deeply rooted in high school sports, in the view of the president, and in many other areas. Theroux attempts to prove that being a man in American is, “…pitiful, a little like having to wear an ill-fitting coat for one’s entire life.”
Tall, dark, and handsome has long been the standard of a desirable man. There is undoubtedly something about a “man’s man” that is intriguing and beguiling. However, there must be a point where too much masculinity becomes a problem. As society continues to praise men with the biggest muscles, the nicest cars, and the most women, it is becoming increasingly hard to draw the line between healthy masculinity and toxic masculinity. In Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, toxic ideas about what it means to be masculine ultimately ruins several characters, but most overtly Stanley, Stella, and Blanche, showing that toxic masculinity is a threat to everyone’s well-being, both male and
Once attending college, the man is betrayed by his professor, Dr. Bledsoe. “‘Tell anyone you like,’ he said. ‘I don’t care. I wouldn’t raise my little finger to stop you because I do not owe anyone a thing, son’”(Ellison 153). In the same way, Dr. Bledsoe creates betrayal because the narrator looks up to him and the professor wants nothing to do with the narrator. Moreover, he a gets in predicament at well known bar called Golden days, which lead Dr. Bledsoe to ask the man to leave the college. Evermore, Dr. Bledsoe grants the narrator the opportunity to attend school by handing the man seven letters of employment recommendations to Harlem. Besides, this act of kindness from Bledsoe is just to appease the narrator from returning to the college. Additionally, Dr. Bledsoe presents, “A former student of ours (I say former because he shall never, under any circumstances, be enrolled as a student here again) who has been expelled for a most serious defection from our strictest rules of deportment” (Ellison 168). Ironically, the principal Mr. Norton promises not to dislodge the man from the school, but this was just so the narrator would return to the school to prove that nobody would speak up on his behalf. Essentially, Dr. Bledsoe gives the narrator the impression that he has a future at Harlom and the all-black college, but to no prevail because of the betrayal of Bledsoe.
When defining the term ‘manhood’, many people may use terms such as courage, strength, or bravery. Throughout history there have been many pressures on men to be as stereotypically manly as possible. If men don’t conform to those stereotypes, they may be looked down upon by society as a whole. Richard Van Camp’s short story ‘The Night Charles Bukowski Died’ is a prime example of the dangers of nonconformity to stereotypically manly traits. The story is an intense first person stream of consciousness from the point of view of an unnamed narrator that follows the narrator and three of his peers: Mikey, Jason, and Scott. The use of metaphor, point of view, and setting in “The Night Charles Bukowski Died” exposes how stereotypical expectations of manhood can lead to dangerous situations not only physically, but also socially and emotionally.
Kimmel discusses about the assumed principles of masculinity that American culture establishes on younger men. These principles are said to be the norm to what any man would believe, such as the phrases “Boys Don’t cry”, “Don’t Get Mad – Get Even”, and “never show your
In Reyes’s Los Angeles Times article, “Men Are Stuck In Gender Roles, Data Suggest” posted on December 26, 2013, she discusses that there are gender roles in today’s society that has been set and learned at a young age, that men do men things and women do women things but there’s a small percentage where it’s flipped upside-down. The context of this article can be misogyny or sexist, and focuses more towards the male audience with a smaller portion of women. Reyes’s exigence comes from her own research as the “census data and surveys show that men remain rare in stereotypically feminine positions”(Reyes Par. 3). Due to her excellent use of appeals, Reyes’s article is highly recommended for the PopMatters Persuasiveness Prize. Reyes supports her claim with ethos with her usage of good credible sources; logos, using inductive logic and by providing good statistics; and pathos, like the bandwagon appeal with an attempt to sway people away from the norm, and by providing stories from everyday folk on how they’ve encountered these stereotypes regarding gender roles.
Dave Barry, a humorous author writes “Guys vs Men” to try to enlighten the term “man”. He focuses on certain aspects that separate guys and men to separate stereotypical characteristics. Barry entertains readers as he uses funny comparisons, analogies, and entertaining punch lines to support his what he thinks the distinct differences between guys and men really are. Barry argues the idea that “man”, is a term that comes with responsibility and unwritten expectations for guys. The intent is to stress that there is another way to look at males, perhaps not characterize as characteristically masculine, but just as a “guy”.
The role of a father could be a difficult task when raising a son. The ideal relationship between father and son perhaps may be; the father sets the rules and the son obeys them respectfully. However it is quite difficult to balance a healthy relationship between father and son, because of what a father expects from his son. For instance in the narratives, “Death of a Salesman,” and “Fences” both Willy and Troy are fathers who have a difficult time in earning respect from their sons, and being a role model for them. Between, “Death of a Salesman,” and “Fences,” both protagonists, Willy and Troy both depict the role of a father in distinctive ways; however, in their struggle, Willy is the more sympathetic of the two.
In the excerpt from the 2008 book, Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men, by Michael Kimmel titled, “‘Bros Before Hos’: The Guy Code,” Kimmel describes the standards men are expected to conform in today’s American society using his four rules of being a man. The first rule, “No Sissy Stuff!” tells men to never reveal their weaknesses; the second, “Be a Big Wheel,” implies men need to flaunt their wealth and power; the third rule, “Be a Sturdy Oak,” describes how men should always be reliable; and the fourth, “Give ‘em Hell,” states how men need to be aggressive (Kimmel 541-542). In addition, Kimmel also discusses the “Gender Police” (Kimmel 544), where men criticize other men when they are not up to par with the set standards. This also leads to homophobia, depression, and even suicide. Kimmel’s piece clearly illustrates the societal standards men are pressured to reach, bringing along severe negative side effects, using a multitude of support as well as effective writing style and tone.
The Author can describe characters in many ways and they usual do that. In the novel/play Arthur Miller all my sons the character Chris looks up to his dad and looks at him for leadership and he respects his dad and loves him.The way Joe keller's family views him is he is a trustworthy man and would sacrifice himself for his family. He has always worked hard in life so his family could have a good life and he always puts his family first. In Arthur Miller's play All My Sons Characters are developed through the use of archetypes such as Joe Keller as the martyr.
Throughout human history, young men were taught to be the head of the house, the sole breadwinner. Men were taught to suppress their emotions and provide for their family. For many, this daunting role takes its toll, causing herds of unnecessary stress and pressure. Arthur Miller explores the effects such expectations have on men. Death of a Salesman explores how deeply these gender roles set and enforced by society effect the mental well-being of men. As a result of the societal pressures, Willy has become mentally unwell, harnessing many responsibilities difficult for one to bear alone. Willy demonstrates his poor mental health through various psychoanalytical defense mechanisms. Miller demonstrates Willy’s weak mental health through his