Masculinity

Today we talked about Masculinity, using Michael Chabon's essay "Faking It" (please see discussion questions below).

In the essay, Chabon promised not to pretend to know things that he did not. Then pretended that he did in the form of installing a towel rack and driving on a dangerous road.

We talked about the difference between what is natural (biological) and what is constructed (fake). I introduced the term gender, meaning the roles that people play. And we emphasized that gender is constructed by society. Further, it is also reinforced by society as we can see in the Monty Python skit, "I'm a Lumberjack" song, in which a man sings of the activities he would do if he were a manly lumberjack. His song is supported by a chorus of other men, who repeat what he says. Until our main character goes a bit too far, dreaming of wearing women's clothing. When he says this very unmasculine thing, the chorus--and his girlfriend--leave. They dismiss/punish him for not fitting the standards of society.

"Gender roles are constructed and reinforced by Society."

Masculine Traits:

independent, brave, aggressive, strong, stable, capable and competent, active (physical labor), doesn't display emotions, being heterosexual.

(Unmasculine traits): dependent, sensitive, emotional, vulnerable, shy

In addition to discussing Michael Chabon's essay, "Faking It," I'd like us to examine the following:

"The Lumberjack Song" as perfromed by Monty Python

"The Lumberjack Song" lyrics
I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK
I sleep all night and I work all day.


He's a lumberjack and he's OK. He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees, I eat my lunch. I go to the lavatory.On Wednesdays I go shopping and have buttered scones for tea.


He cuts down trees, he eat his lunchHe go to the lavatory.On Wednesdays he go shopping and has buttered scones for tea.
He's a lumberjack and he's OKHe sleeps all night and he works all day.


I cut down trees, I skip and jumpI like to press wild flowers.I put on women's clothing and hang around in bars.


He cuts down trees, he skips and jumpsHe likes to press wild flowers.He puts on women's clothing and hangs around in bars.


He's a lumberjack and he's OKHe sleeps all night and he works all day.


I cut down trees, I wear high heelsSuspenders and a bra.I wish I'd been a girlie, just like my dear pappa.


He cuts down trees, he wears high heels?Suspenders... and a bra?


... He's a lumberjack and he's OKHe sleeps all night and he works all day.
... He's/I'm a lumberjack and he's/I'm OKHe/I sleep all night and he/I work all day.

1)      Chabon closes the chapter by writing, “I fully expect …to hear a telltale clatter on the tiles” (144). The towel rack is a metaphor in this text.

-          How does Chabon describe his installation of the towel rack?

-          What does the towel rack symbolize in this essay?

-          What would it mean if the towel rack fell [clattered on the tiles]?

-          Why does Chabon expect it to fall?

2)      Chabon promises himself that he will “not pretend to knowledge that [he] [does] not possess, not to claim authority [he] plainly lacks, not to hide [his] doubts and uncertainties, [his] setbacks and regrets, from [his] children” (142).

-          Why does he make this promise?

-          If we think about a promise as a contract, something made between two people where each gives up/gains something, what is Chabon giving up here? What is he gaining?

3)      Of making a dangerous trip, Chabon says “I had known that I could do it.” But then he adds: “I had no choice, do you see, but to know that” (144).

-          What affect does this additional statement “I had no choice…” have upon the original statement, “I had known that I could do it”?

-          Why does Chabon have no choice?

-          What would have happened had he not known/had that confidence?

-          What does this suggest about masculinity?

4)       “There is also the more subtle damage that is done repeatedly to boys who grow up learning from their fathers and the men around them the tragic lesson that failure is not a human constant but a kind of aberration of gender, a flaw in a man, to be concealed” (140).
For a man, what is a "flaw"? How should a man respond to a flaw?
-

5)       “Male fronting resembles a number of other behaviors typically ascribed to men and masculinity, in that it proceeds by denying essential human conditions or responses—say public displays of mutual affection, grief, or triumph—making them as feminine, infantile, socially unacceptable” (140-141).

-          What is “fronting?” And why is it dangerous?

6)      “The male impulse to…to refuse to acknowledge his inadequacy… has been and continues to be responsible for a large share of the world’s woes, in the form of the accidents, errors, and calamities that result from specific or overarching acts of faking it” (139-140). Chabon gives examples from his own life of suspecting failure—though not actually encountering it. Find a real world example of “the world’s woes” that has been caused by someone refusing to admit their inadequacy (cite your sources).

7)      Make list or a Venn diagram: What qualities/actions are men expected to have/do? What qualities/actions are they expected to never have/do? What patterns do you notice? In what ways do these patterns limit/empower men?­­­

8)      Why does Chabon title this essay “Faking it?” What is being faked? Who is doing the faking? How does this affect Chabon?

Please find a humorous video [in English!] that involves masculinity.
1) post the link as a comment to this blog post
2) identify the expectation of masculinity/gender roles
3) identify the disruption of these expectations

Assignment:
Read They Say I Say pp. 55-67.
As part of their peer-review to 2.2, your partner offered a argument against your claim.
Use the information you learned in TSIS. Post (on your blog) the way you would respond to your partner's argument.