In his essay "Being a Man," Paul Theroux grapples with the complexities and contradictions of masculinity. He begins by exploring the expectations placed on men, noting that society often expects them to be strong, rational, and unemotional, yet at the same time, to be sensitive and caring.
Theroux argues that these expectations can be stifling for men, leading them to feel as though they must constantly perform their masculinity in order to be accepted by their peers. He writes, "To be a man is to be in a constant state of becoming, of striving to prove one's worth, of trying to measure up to an ever-shifting set of standards."
However, Theroux also notes that men are not always held to these standards, and that they often have the privilege of being able to choose when and how they perform their masculinity. He writes, "For some men, the performance of masculinity is effortless. They are the men who can be tough and tender, who can be both strong and vulnerable, and who can be both rational and emotional."
Throughout the essay, Theroux grapples with his own feelings of inadequacy as a man, and the pressure he feels to constantly prove himself. He writes, "I have always felt a deep sense of shame about my masculinity, as though I am not quite man enough."
Ultimately, Theroux concludes that the key to being a man is to embrace all aspects of oneself, rather than trying to fit into a narrow, prescribed set of gender roles. He writes, "To be a man is to be oneself, fully and completely, without fear or shame."
In conclusion, Paul Theroux's essay "Being a Man" offers a nuanced and thoughtful exploration of the complexities and contradictions of masculinity. Through his own personal experiences, he argues that the key to being a man is to embrace all aspects of oneself, rather than trying to fit into a prescribed set of gender roles.
Being A Man: Rhetorical Analysis Summary And Thesis Essay (600 Words)
Theroux, in his piece, argues that a man is oppressed by gender expectations, despite living in a society where women are belittled in comparison to men. If you are not tough and are not able to overcome the most difficult situations in life then you will not be successful. Man works to achieve status, position, office, rank, leadership, family provider, or insured manhood. The titles can be made of from the character, the theme, or the events that occurred. In which the next generation will blindly follow and accept. Theroux is able to successfully convey his message to both genders that this society is harmful to both genders. Although perhaps best know Paul Edward Theroux is an American travel writer and novelist, whose best known work is The Great Railway Bazaar 1975 , a travelogue about a trip he made by train from Great Britain through Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, through South Asia, then South-East Asia, up through East Asia, as far east as Japan, and then back across Russia to his point of origin.
Being a Man by Paul Theroux
We have to live with the stereotype your whole life just doesn 't feel right like an ill-fitting coat. From here on I will be summarizing the article, making connections, explaining my involvement in the project and a reflection of my overall performance. You can use it as an example when writing your own essay or use it as a source, but you need. Theroux attempts to explain the gap between genders which cause bad marriages, social misfits, moral degenerates, sadists, and latent rapists. To put it succinctly, we don 't get to pick the rules for the masculine stereotype. To be soldierly is to have characteristics of a person who works zealously for a specified cause.
Paul Theroux Analysis: “The Male Myth” Is a Myth, Sample of Essays
However, men, today can be intelligent, thoughtful, and anti-masculine as they wish. This implies that someone has pity on men. Theroux argues that even in the post-feminism period in which he writes his essay, men, in particular younger boys and teenagers, are forced into this rigid and narrow definition of what being a man is supposed to be. Lanser's The Yellow Wallpaper 464 Words 2 Pages This extreme approach to the problem impairs the argument limits its persuasive power throughout the article. This example shows that by forcing men and boys to strive for certain goals, such as aspiring to be in ultimate physical shape or becoming star athletes, society forces them to inadvertently become some of the worst examples of what men can be, instead of being well-rounded, gentlemanly individuals, as a result of the extreme emphasis on physical performance placed on them.
