Yeah, men, straight and gay, are encouraged to reserve their softer side for private viewing, where it is "safe" to reveal it. I suppose it's part of an old survival thing, the male fending off predators or establishing dominance over the competition, sexually and/or socially. The child at school who can be made to cry in front of others is bound to be picked on and held in contempt by others as weak. A few might feel sorry for him, some might offer him comfort, but that reinforces the impression that the child "can't take it," in the eyes of others.
When Jack lays into his father in law, his wife smirks approval. When Ennis pounds on those jerks at the fireworks, nobody is a bit bothered.
Interestingly, both of these scenes were written for the film and were not in the original story. I thought they were in there for a number of reasons, but one of them would surely be to show how these behaviours were affirmed, societally, establishing them as males worthy of respect.
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Date: 2006-02-06 09:39 pm (UTC)When Jack lays into his father in law, his wife smirks approval. When Ennis pounds on those jerks at the fireworks, nobody is a bit bothered.
Interestingly, both of these scenes were written for the film and were not in the original story. I thought they were in there for a number of reasons, but one of them would surely be to show how these behaviours were affirmed, societally, establishing them as males worthy of respect.