Analysis Of Ursula Leguin's 'She Unnames Them'

In Macbeth and The Mask You Live In, the characteristics of masculinity begins with the questioning or threatening of their manhood, which then leads to successive violence, and lastly, the desperate behavior that occurs when ashamed. In Macbeth, and The Mask You Live In, Shakespeare investigates the connection between a man’s questioning and

Masculinity is the clay atop a pottery wheel: malleable and pliant, yet unable to morph alone because it perpetually spins at the whim of another man. Although humankind has strode towards gender equality, toxic patriarchal traits from the past linger within the male psyche and sustain a set of acts passed down hereditarily, rather than manufactured internally. This influences what men anticipate of themselves, forcing them to fulfil obsolete performative criteria that create a hallucinatory vision of masculinity. Seemingly, Butler’s trope holds a mirror against the male identity, reflecting the hands which mould gender narratives across contextual and generational boundaries. During the Elizabethan era, gender expectations formed the backbone

When reading a novel, readers do not often realize that many authors use the same types of characters and symbols. Applying a literary lens to a novels can help readers better understand why a novel was written. A literary theory is, “A term for analyzing, classifying, defining, interpreting, and evaluating literature” (Davidson). When observing a piece of literature with an Archetypal lens analysts can identify these patterns. According to Literary Devices, “In literature, an archetype is a typical character, an action, or a situation that seems to represent universal patterns of human nature” (literarydevices).

Over time, the thought patterns of many individuals mould to believe only one perception of what is morally acceptable— a perception that is completely faulty. The ideology of the male body and demeanor is only one of the many societal norms constructed by the media, and it alone can result in mental health fatalities, mass violence, or the mere elimination of self-identity whilst attempting to meet the ever-changing ideals of masculinity. The continuous and stereotypical depiction of masculinity in the media has idealized invulnerability, toughness and physical strength as the sole qualities of a ‘true man’. As a result, the complexity of masculinity is flattened, and immense pressures are placed on individuals to meet requirements that are entirely faulty. According to Katz, cultures, topics, and even genders are not one-dimensional; in order to fully comprehend the meaning the entirety of something, one must look at more than its representation in the media.

Masculinity and men are things in the world that always seem to go together. The correlation between the two is very present in the story, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, when defining Francis Macomber’s self worth. The main character, Francis Macomber, is many things: he is a husband, rich, and handsome. One thing he is not is brave. Francis Macomber pursues a mission to prove to people and himself that he is not the coward the people treat him to be.

Masculinity. It can be argued that no one word has undergone such a dramatic shift during the past century, as masculinity. In many ways J.D. Salinger’s groundbreaking novel, “The Catcher in the Rye”, and its main protagonist, Holden Caulfield, were both ahead of their time as they realized masculinity could not have a uniform definition. The reader is led on a journey by Holden, from fancy prep schools to the tough streets of New York City, all in the search for one thing: the meaning of masculinity. Holden’s search for identity culminates in his failure to conform to societal standards of masculinity, allowing Salinger to effectively question the need for such strict standards which seemingly only inhibit personal growth.

The different techniques to explore literary works all lead to new meanings behind the same piece. In Ursula LeGuin’s short story “She Unnames Them,” a Formalistic analytical approach can be taken to find a deeper meaning within the text. By examining the different elements within the text instead of trying to understand the outside influences on the author, the characters, plot, and setting all transform into vital parts of telling her message. The theme that LeGuin is now able to express is that a person’s or thing’s importance does not lie in its name, rather what they do with themselves is their defining features. Through developing her characters in a unique way, LeGuin is able to best lead the reader to find the central message in her

Hegemonic masculinity is a often associated drive, ambition, self reliance, and aggressiveness” (Messerschmidt). Both of these examples show us that the construction of the characters would not be the same if it weren't for the ideals of hegemonic masculinity that they portray through the entire

This essay made me recognize how much someone’s masculinity influences someone’s thinking, belief, and opinion about someone just by observing them. It opened me up to the different beliefs people have about being masculine and what it means to be masculine. Overall, the most important thing about this essay is that it made me a more well-informed person on the influences that made me who I am

Alison dreams to live in the world of masculinity that was shown through her father. “I had recently discovered some of Dad’s old clothes. Putting on a formal shirt with its studs and cufflinks was a nearly mystical pleasure, like finding myself fluent in a language I’d never been taught” (Bechdel 182). Here Bechdel shows masculinity through the descriptions and illustrations of her father’s attire. From her novel, she shows the audience how the appearance of masculinity can grant one strength and one the illusion of power.

Masculinity (also called boyhood, manliness or manhood) is a set of attributes, behaviors and roles generally associated with boys and men. But the culture doesn’t end at the definition, it starts from there. The first thing to come to mind when the word masculinity is heard is usually a man flexing his gigantic muscles, as the word might sound to suggest, and that right there is the current culture of masculinity because sadly, in the world we live in, not everyone has a “muscular body”. So far we know the concept of masculinity, but the culture is what is truly hampering.

The Victorian era was one ‘of rapidly shifting ideas of what it was to be a man (and) how one defined one’s masculinity,’ (Conor 10). Therefore the ideas of masculinity were one of re-defining, and new definitions are formed.

His sense of attaining masculinity is fuelled by an indomitable desire to rise above his father’s spendthrift, lazy, ineffectual and effeminate character and he associates violence, haughtiness, and aggression as the only set of emotions to be displayed for expressing true masculinity. He beats his wives and threatens to kill women.

Both articles relate to this concept in explaining how society and culture have created a patriarchic society in which the dominant gender is male. Gender affects how we think of ourselves due to the social expectations associated with being masculine or feminine, male or female. Society teaches us how to behave by having an establishing certain guidelines through gender roles. In other words, we are expected to follow a certain behavior due to our sex or gender. Males are expected to be leaders, tough, ambitious and proud while females are expected to be emotional, sensitive and affectionate patient, and

Masculinity refers to the qualities, personality traits and roles that are associated with the male gender. In the 21st century, there has been a movement, a drive in the more socially aware sections of the world to equalize or balance out masculinity and femininity. Feminism or, at least the main stream feminism aims to find equality for the females in social, political and economical fields. Even today, as we work forward to find a middle ground for the two genders, masculinity is seen as the superior quality that only men are privileged to have. Hence, main stream feminism is so focused on emancipating women by encouraging them to let go of the ‘weaker’ feminine qualities and roles and fit themselves in a Man’s world by embracing masculinity