Page 183 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

writing was not a manly profession — indeed, not mount a horse and go fox hunting, and Jack 4
a profession at all. (The paradox in American let- Kerouac roistered up and down Manhattan in a
ters is that it has always been easier for a woman lumberjack shirt (and spent every night of The DIFFERENTIA TION chapter 4
DIFFERENTIATION
1
to write and for a man to be published.) Growing Subterraneans with his mother in Queens).
e
xt
Connections to T
up, I had thought of sports as wasteful and humil- And we are familiar with the lengths to which Connections to Text
2
iating, and the idea of manliness was a bore. My Norman Mailer is prepared, in his endearing Y ou might ask students to consider con-
You might ask students to consider con-
wanting to become a writer was not a flight from way, to prove that he is just as much a monster Conversation / Paul Theroux nections between Ther oux’ s discussion
nections between Theroux’s discussion
about becoming a writer
that oppressive role-playing, but I quickly saw as the next man. about becoming a writer, especially in para-
, especially in para-
that it was at odds with it. Everything in stereo- When the novelist John Irving was revealed graphs 9–11, and W oolf ’ s claims about
graphs 9–11, and Woolf’s claims about
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
writers and gender in “Professions for
typed manliness goes against the life of the mind. as a wrestler, people took him to be a very serious writers and gender in “Pr ofessions for
W
The Hemingway personality is too tedious to go writer; and even a bubble reputation like Erich Women” or Nguyen’s perspectives in
s perspectives in
omen” or Nguyen’
into here, and in any case his exertions are well- (Love Story) Segal’s was enhanced by the news “Advice for Artists Whose Parents Want
ant
“Advice for Artists Whose Par
ents W
Them to Be Engineers,” if they have read
known, but certainly it was not until this aberrant that he ran the marathon in a respectable time. Them to Be Engineers,” if they have r ead
either of those essays. Do the writers agree
behavior was examined by feminists in the 1960s How surprised we would be if Joyce Carol Oates either of those essays. Do the writers agr ee
about their views of writing, gender, and
that any male writer dared question the pugnac- were revealed as a sumo wrestler or Joan Didion about their views of writing, gender , and
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
privilege?
ity in Hemingway’s fiction. All the bullfighting active in pumping iron. “Lives in New York City privilege?
and arm wrestling and elephant shooting dimin- with her three children” is the typical woman
ished Hemingway as a writer, but it is consistent writer’s biographical note, for just as the male
with a prevailing attitude in American writing: writer must prove he has achieved a sort of mus- BUILDING CONTEXT
one cannot be a male writer without first proving cular manhood, the woman writer — or rather
You may want to look for the video of Nor-
that one is a man. her publicists — must prove her motherhood. Y ou may want to look for the video of Nor -
man Mailer and Gor
e Vidal feuding on
It is normal in America for a man to be dis- 10 There would be no point in saying any of this if man Mailer and Gore Vidal feuding on The
Dick Cavett Show
missive or even somewhat apologetic about it were not generally accepted that to be a man is Dick Cavett Show in 1971 to better under-
stand the comment Theroux makes in the
being a writer. Various factors make it easier. somehow — even now in feminist-influenced stand the comment Ther oux makes in the
last sentence of paragraph 10. Mailer acts
There is a heartiness about journalism that America — a privilege. It is on the contrary an last sentence of paragraph 10. Mailer acts
in a way that is outrageously condescend-
makes it acceptable — journalism is the manliest unmerciful and punishing burden. Being a man is in a way that is outrageously condescend-
ing, and one of the most memorable parts
form of American writing and, therefore, the bad enough; being manly is appalling (in this ing, and one of the most memorable parts
of the clip is the response from Janet
profession the most independent-minded sense, women’s lib has done much more for men of the clip is the r esponse fr om Janet
Flanner, who served as the Paris corre-
women seek (yes, it is an illusion, but that is my than for women). It is the sinister silliness of men’s Flanner , who served as the Paris corr e-
spondent to the New Yorker for fifty years.
point). Fiction-writing is equated with a kind of fashions, and a clubby attitude in the arts. It is the spondent to the
It’s also relevant to note that Mailer, who
dispirited failure and is only manly when it pro- subversion of good students. It is the so-called It’ s also r elevant to note that Mailer , who
was married six times, stabbed his sec-
duces wealth — money is masculinity. So is “Dress Code” of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Boston, was married six times, stabbed his sec-
ond wife twice with a penknife. Though
drinking. Being a drunkard is another assertion, and it is the institutionalized cheating in college ond wife twice with a penknife. Though
she needed emergency surgery, she was
if misplaced, of manliness. The American male sports. It is the most primitive insecurity. she needed emer gency sur gery , she was
ges against him.
ess char
not willing to pr
writer is traditionally proud of his heavy drink- And this is also why men often object to not willing to press charges against him.
You might also have students explore the
ing. But we are also a very literal-minded peo- feminism but are afraid to explain why: of course Y ou might also have students explor e the
other writers Theroux mentions (they could
ple. A man proves his manhood in America in women have a justified grievance, but most men other writers Ther oux mentions (they could
simply check biographies for evidence of
old-fashioned ways. He kills lions, like Heming- believe — and with reason — that their lives are simply check biographies for evidence of
the characteristics of masculinity Theroux
way; or he hunts ducks, like Nathanael West; or just as bad. the characteristics of masculinity Ther oux
oux’
ence to
efer
s r
defines). Given Ther
he makes pronouncements like, “A man should 1985 defines). Given Theroux’s reference to
ol Oates, you might also draw a
Joyce Car
carry enough knife to defend himself with,” as Joyce Carol Oates, you might also draw a
connection to her essay on boxing, “The
James Jones once said to a Life interviewer. Or 1 A 1960 film based on Jack Kerouac’s novel about the lifestyle of connection to her essay on boxing, “The
Cruelest Sport” (Chapter 9, p. 948).
he says he can drink you under the table. But 1950s Beats. — Eds. Cruelest Sport” (Chapter 9, p. 948).
2
An American journalist and novelist who stabbed his second
even tiny drunken William Faulkner loved to wife. — Eds.
289
05_sheatlc4e_40925_ch04_170_315.indd 289 12/10/22 2:37 PM
Conversation / Paul Theroux 289
05_sheatlcte4e_46921_ch04_170a_315_2pp.indd 289 1/20/23 7:53 PM