Masculinity in Films - Essay Example

Name: Date: Instructor: Masculinity in Films Masculinity is the act and characteristics that make one a fulfilled man (Eberwein 33). Masculinity is valued in the society since men are paramount the society. Masculinity is depicted differently in films and characters representing masculinity may behave according to the social set up in that particular community where the film develops. In an attempt to understand the concept masculinity it is paramount for discuss two movies that have employed the concept. The first movie is a man who shot liberty valance by John Ford 1962, and the fight club 1999 by David Fincher. It is crucial to understand the plot of each of the two movies hence judging from the actions and circumstances that are exhibited by the characters (Howell 78). First, the man who shot liberty valance by John Ford 1962 is one of the best movies that were produced in the developing America. The film was later selected for the purpose of preservation by the National film Registry since the film is culturally and aesthetically paramount for the nation. The movie starts when the starring of the movie Ranse Stoddard accompanied by his wife arrives in Shinbone to attend the funeral of an old friend by the name Tom Doniphon. Hallie, his wife, goes to the Apple Yard to see the burnt houses and upon returning she and Stoddard goes to the undertaker to pay their last respects to their old friend. Journalists wonder why such a great senator would make that entire journey just to come and pay last respect to a mere rancher (Grant 56). The question triggers flashbacks several decades when he arrived in Shinbone through stagecoach that was robbed by gangsters who were led by liberty valance. Stoddard remembers the brutal encounter with valance goons and the circumstances that led to disappearing of his money. He also remembers how Peter Ericsson, his wife Nora, nursed him, and their daughter Hallie nursed him until he recovered all his injuries (Grønstad 67). The people who were living in Shinbone were frequently victimized by valance and his goons the fact that made people in the area to fear him. The town marshal by the name Apple yard has no courage or skills in gun fighting that might help him to overcome the goons headed by valance. Valance appears to be the most masculine man in the text since even other men cower at his hand (Giroux 67). His acts are, however, not masculine taking into account that he harasses people to be feared, but it does not come naturally out of respect. However, the late Doniphon (the rancher the senator comes to bade farewell) has the guts to face him though he lacks support from the other people. After the robbery, Stoddard is left penniless, and he has nothing that he can use to sustain himself. He earns a living through washing the dishes at the Ericsson restaurant, and that gives valance a chance to humiliate him now and then (Palahniuk et al 45). Doniphon intervenes occasionally, Valance stands down, and leaves. Doniphon advises Stoddard to buy a gun or give Shinbone since that is the only language Valance understands. However, Stoddard disagrees and affirms that justice is the only way forward to solve a challenge. His aspiration to start a law firm motivates him to inculcate justice in Valance issue. Many people in Shinbone believe that he is crazy, and this makes a target for Valance. Stoddard continues to gain affection and love by the residents when he starts school to educate the residents. His masculinity in behavior and reason outlaws the masculinity that is portrayed by Valance. The masculinity of Doniphon and that of Stoddard are more like similar and this makes them important in the film and theme of masculinity(Palahniuk et al 67). After starting the school, he realizes that Hallie cannot write and as a man, he takes the challenge and teaches her how to read and write. This makes her feel good, and the parents appreciate the man who will be ultimately being the savior of the society. Due to the circumstances in the society, Stoddard starts learning how to shoot a gun in preparation of what may come in the future. Doniphon gets to know that Stoddard is learning how to shoot and takes him to his house to give him some lessons (Giroux 69). However, his masculinity is disapproved when he shots a tin paint and humiliates Stoddard by spilling him over the ink. Doniphon warns that the action of Valance will much more devious than he did (Beynon 78). Election time comes, and Shinbone residents elected two delegates for the statehood convention in the territorial capital. Stoddard affirms that the statehood is in place and will ensure that substantial infrastructure and safety is enhanced. Valance feels since he was not noticed and elected, and he chooses the cattle barons to go and interrupt the meeting. He further advised that the town people should be bullied to ensure that elect Valance as the delegate. However, Stoddard and Peabody are elected hence valance-challenging Stoddard to a duel that evening. Doniphon advises Stoddard to leave the town, but Stoddard chooses to stay hence affirming his courage and masculinity. Valance confronts Peabody for publishing flatteringly his defeat in the election and he destroys the newspaper office and goes ahead to assault him. Stoddard marches to the street so that he can face Valance in the duel (Warfield 78). Valannce toys with Stoddard by shooting the bucket hence drenching him. Moreover, he disarms him through shooting him in the hand. Coincidentally, Stoddard leads to fire and kills Valance, this causes Hallie to respond with affection, and it proves that she loves him. Doniphon gets drunk and drives all the gang out of the salon for they were calling for the lynching of Stoddard for killing Valance. At this point, the masculinity and courage of Doniphon are portrayed. Doniphon being drunken sets his house on fire, but Pompey manages to save him. Consequently, Stoddard is hailed the man who shot liberty valance in the territorial convention for the statehood. Later on Doniphon reveals that he is the one who shot Valance having realized that Hallie loved him, and he did that to secure his happiness. The film depicts Stoddard as the most masculine man though he did not take steps to publicize his actions. The boldness of Stoddard makes him to be the ultimate he is. Moreover, his masculinity makes him win Hallie over many others hence proving to be the best man and masculine in the movie(Beynon 89). The other movie that is showing the idea of masculinity is the Fight club by David Fencher. The film involves two main characters who are Jack and Tyler. Jack works in automobile company, and he flies here and there where the accident is reported and checking whether there are any potential liabilities. On the other hand, Taylor works as a sales clerk in Soap Company, and he proves to be a charismatic person (Neale 67). The two characters meet in a plane, and they end up being accomplices. Jack has been suffering from insomnia he visits the doctors. Instead of giving medication, the doctor advises him to be visiting the critical sick patients and more especially those who are suffering from testicular cancer. Through visiting such patients, Jack would cry, and that would help him to sleep. That solved his problem for a while not until Maria started visiting the centers (Palahniuk et al 56). Jack feels uneasy since in the presence of Maria he cannot cry hence meaning that he cannot sleep. He approaches Maria and suggests that they should reschedule to ensure that everybody is benefiting. On the other hand, Taylor organizes and explodes Jacks house to ensure that they live in the same house. Maria coincidentally overdoses and fears that if she sleeps she will not wake up. He calls jack but he ignores him. Taylor takes the opportunity and asks for her. He manages to keep her awake by having sex all night. Jack seems irritated by the actions of Taylor knowing that he does not love her at all. The friendship between Jack and Taylor leads to the commencement of the mysterious fighting club. It starts when Taylor asks to hit n him and the struggle continue. They continue fighting in the in the club though it is later transferred to the downstairs of the house. They formulate rules of secrecy, but the enrolment continues to increase (Trice 67). Crisis erupts between jack and Taylor after realizing that Taylor had been doing things behind his back. He even confesses that he is the one who blasted his house. Jack feels bad, and the whole thing continues to be a mystery. The struggle between the two individuals exists until the end of Taylor after Jack shot him. Taylor appears to be a masculine man but in the real sense jack is the ultimate masculine but unsuccessful (Palahniuk et al 64). The activities of Taylor are meant to harm him, Maria and the society and eventually he manages to bomb the credit card building to the ground. Jack loves Maria, but he cannot withstand Taylor having sex with her. He feels bad about it, but he does not prove his masculinity. Is wrong for him to know that Taylor is just using Maria, and she cannot prove to Maria that he is a man enough and can fight for what he believes in. Jack and all his actions prove he is masculine, but he does not use the masculinity for his own good. However, he manages to rescue Maria and he, many things have happened that cost him a great deal of his life (Palahniuk et al 65). Considering the two main character that is Stoddard and Jack, it is evident that they are distinct in the way they handle issues. Stoddard is a bold person who confronts issues in the right way. Upon learning that Valance and his goons organized for the theft that took place in the stagecoach, he knows that the justice and public approval is the only way to overcome the challenges as associated with valance. He lets the Erickson family know whom did the raid and the public get to know him as a kind and gentle man. When valance confronts him, he resolves not flee or buy a gun he affirms to the public that the justice is the only cause to ensure that the community is living in accordance to the set standards. His masculinity helps to gain public support in most of his endeavors though a visitor in the town. Moreover, when it comes to matters of love, he does not fear to affirm to Hallie that he loves him, and this gives him an upper hand in the family. Therefore, his masculinity and boldness makes him win the girl who was eyed by many men in the town. Doniphon is one of the men who eye the Hallie but he is not bold enough to tell her, and this makes him a lesser masculine man in the film. On the other hand, Jack loves Maria and Maria takes the chance and calls though Jack ignores her. Finally, Maria gives in to Tylor and Jacks feels much pain. Following the incidence, Maria shows hatred towards jack simply because jack was not bold enough and loves her. Moreover, jack would have given Taylor a few punches for sleeping with Maria knowing that she loved her. This shows that the challenges that Jack faces are simply out of failing to assert his masculinity (Trice 89). After learning that Taylor was the one who set Jack’s house on fire, he should have confronted or even take him to the police but he simply cowers and keeps quiet. However, as a man he has given Taylor a bunch of fists to make sure that he was a man. Following the incidence, Taylor seems like he owns a jack and even secludes him from the operations .he plants other fighting clubs and even involves the police in the mayhem without the notice of jack. Jack learns about when it is too, late hence proving that he was not keen enough. On the other hand, Stoddard learns about the voraciousness of Valance and his goons and decides to take shooting lessons (Howell 89). When Doniphon misbehaves during the training, he gives him several; punches proving him a man. Moreover, when Valance invites him on a duel at night, he vows to go even though he knows that the worst is expected from the venture. Carrying a gun, and alone he boldly goes and he is toyed and shot by Valance and his goons. Despite the shot by Valance, he gathers his courage and shoots him to death. From the episode, it is evident that his masculinity leads to the eventual success and ultimately a successful politician. On the other hand, the eventual, losing of Jack, Taylor sleeping with Maria is a result of jack's fear and lack of boldness(Howell 78). In conclusion, it is evident that the masculinity is evident in the two movies discussed above. Stoddard’s portrayal of the standard masculinity leads him to the ultimate success during Jacks in suffering and losing. Being muscular means being courageous wise and daring in solving challenges and in wanting circumstances. The aspect of Stoddard being courageous helps him to get a post as a delegate that furthers his political career and getting a wife Hallie. On the other hand, jack loses his home, job and he almost lost Maria. This proves that he was not a man enough because if he had applied his masculinity effectively, he would have overcome the challenged the face him. Work Cited Beynon, John. "Masculinities and the Notion of Crisis." Masculinities and Culture. Philadelphia: Open University Press, 2002. 75-97. Print. Eberwein, Robert T.. Armed forces masculinity and sexuality in the American war film. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 2007. Print. Grant, Barry Keith. Shadows of doubt: negotiations of masculinity in American genre films. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2011. Print. Giroux, Henry A. "Private Satisfactions and Public Disorders: Fight Club, Patriarchy, and the Politics of Masculine Violence." Public Spaces, Private Lives: Beyond the Culture of Cynicism. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2001. 61-73. Print. Grønstad, Asbjørn. Transfigurations violence, death and masculinity in American cinema. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2008. Print. Howell, Amanda. Popular music and masculinity in action films. London: Routledge, 2012. Print. Neale, Steve. "Masculinity as Spectacle." The Sexual Subject: A Screen Reader in Sexuality. London; New York: Routledge, 1992. 277-287. Print. Palahniuk, Chuck, and Freddy Michalski. Fight club. Paris: Gallimard, 2007. Print. Trice, Ashton D., and Samuel A. Holland. Heroes, antiheroes, and dolts: masculinity in American popular films, 1921-1999. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2001. Print. Warfield, Nancy. The man who shot Liberty Valance: a study of John Ford's film. New York, N.Y.: Little Film Gazette of N.D.W., 1975. Print. Read More