OMAM - masculinity Flashcards
(10 cards)
intro
- a concept shaped by societal expectations of strength and stoicism
- In his presentation of different types of masculinity, Steinbeck examines the pressures on men to adhere to these ideals, often at the cost of their emotional well-being.
- showing how toxic expectations on masculinity not only leads to personal suffering but also fuels the violence and loneliness that permeate their lives
topic sentence 1
Steinbeck portrays Curley’s aggressive pursuit of dominance as a reflection of the fragility of his masculinity, where his insecurity and need to assert power often manifest in violence, revealing the toxic pressure of societal expectations on men during the Great Depression.
topic sentence 1 quotes
‘hands closed into fists’ ‘into a slight crouch’ - posture indicates he is always ready for a fight, but his combative stance is extremely defensive so may suggest he is insecure
‘slashed’ ‘smashed’ ‘swinging’ - his assault on Lennie is incredibly aggressive, we feel pity for Lennie and hatred for Curley - a man in a privileged position exploiting the weak
topic sentence 1 context
men felt disenfranchised
the brutal world created by capitalism = highly competitive = oppression of the weaker members of society
lawlessness of America in a ‘dog eat dog’ depressions - very image of what a man should be was strong and a provider
doesn’t having the body type of a typical man - feels he needs to prove his masculinity at every instance
topic sentence 2
Through Slim, Steinbeck explores the idea of true masculinity, where his calm authority and empathetic nature command respect, setting him apart from the more aggressive and insecure expressions of manhood in other characters.
topic sentence 2 quotes
‘Carlson stepped back to let Slim procede him’ - his deference to slim acts as a literal indicator of the hierarchy of the ranch
‘There was a gravity in his manner’ ‘all talk stopped when he spoke’ - a recognizable strength to his demeanor, characters held deep reverence to him, contrasts with Curley to demonstrate real authority
topic sentence 2 context
challenges the stereotype of a typical ranch worker, he is the novels moral centre
represents an ideal of what a man can be - acts as an attack on status quo of the 1930s -> through slim St can promote his anti-capitalist message of the working class coming together to attack the structured government
represents the rise of natural leaders in society during the depression
slim represents the idealized American cowboy - high moral standing - contrasts with the greed of capitalists who St believed were destroying agricultural life
topic sentence 3
Steinbeck portrays Crooks as a character whose sense of masculinity is shaped by his racial isolation, revealing how his vulnerability in a segregated society leads him to assert his power through sharp words, yet ultimately, he remains powerless against those around him.
topic sentence 3 quotes
‘you got no right to come into my room’ - aggressive hostile tone relays the protective shell crooks has instinctively built around himself after years of deep discrimination
‘get [him] strung up on a tree’ - threatening Crooks is her misguided way to exert her power and suppress him
‘reduced to nothing.’ - sombre tone, her words have emptied Crooks of all human emotion as he knows there is nothing he can do as it was the normalised societal view
topic sentence 3 context
despite the rampant patriarchy, his race is still more important than his gender
Crooks is exerting the little power he has, as a reinforcement of his masculinity - because of his race this is heavily overlooked and ignored - they go in his room despite him saying no -> his consent is irrelevant to them, because of his race he has no opinion in his own life
Jim Crow laws mandated racial segregation - ranch acts as a microcosm for America so represents the systemic racism built into society
curley’s wife feels she has the standing to be able to exert dominance over Curley, leaving him destroyed -> inverted patriarchy
