Masculinity: critics and quotes

Question 1

Moment 1 - Tom in his house (description)

Answer 1

Critic: “One cannot bring up boys to be eagles and then expect them to be sparrows” (Roosevelt)

• “Two shining arrogeant eyes had established dominance over his face” - stereotypical man - has control
• “Cruel body” “Gruff husky tenor” - uses power to be cruel, individualism

Question 2

Moment 2 - Grampa’s ideas about California

Answer 2

Critic: “In a world where men were defined by their labour and land ownership, to take both away is to thrust men into more than just economic crisis” (Williamson)

• “They think they’re gonna show me how to act out there?” - doesn’t want to accept their ideals
• “Got a feelin’ it’ll make a new fella outa me. Go right to work in the fruit” - ironic because he dies, extent of the illusion - frontier spirit
• “She held him and unbuttoned his underwear and his shirt and fly” - he cannot do things his own, unstable patriarchal leader

Question 3

Moment 3 - George in the Valley of Ashes

Answer 3

Critic: “The proprietor of the garage in the Velley of Ashes is unsuccessful economically, a struggling lower class man, though blonde and blue eyed” (Slater)

• “In the sunlight his face was green” - showing sickness + weakness (men should be strong) but has to keep going for money
• “My wife and I want to go West” - his wife decides most things, subverts gender norms

Question 4

Moment 4 - Pa losing control to Ma

Answer 4

Critic: “As the older Joad men sink into ineffectiveness and dependency, family authority shifts to Ma Joad” (Motley)

• “Pa looked helplessly about the group” - he no longer has control over the family, family roles shifting
• “Hands being limply at his sides” - hands show hard work now it no longer works - loss of strength
• “The eyes of the family shifted back to Ma. She was the power” - matriarchy is now in the family