Fight Club & Francis Macomber Essay

They lived in a derelict building with the other white males they recruited -- the army they recruited. They created their own world where everything was masculine and they plotted against the capitalists in order to redefine their masculinity. They continued to engage in violent acts which grew more and more destructive. Through these, they were able to gain back their power, the power they have lost through the feminization of society.

They rejected consumerism and capitalism. This was one of their ways to stop the propagation of the feminized male. They waged their own war and in the end, they used their violence to stop the capitalists from further harming their ideal of what should be masculine.

Masculinity was also depicted in the relationship that Marla Singer and Jack have. Their on and off relationship was, in a way, a reflection of the power of man over a woman. Jack and Tyler showed Marla who was the boss as Jack or Tyler was only available to Marla depending on his mood. In the end, we see that Jack asserted the traditional protective quality of males by protecting Marla when she was threatened.Throughout the film, Jack strived to have a well-defined sense of self and an integrated sense of his masculinity. He appeared powerful. He was in control of the Fight Club. He maintained a relationship with a woman and he protected her in the end.

Both Hemingway and Fincher put forward the idea that violence is masculine. The true test of manhood is violence. In order for a man to prove his masculinity, he must be able to do violent acts and act bravely. The masculinity of real men is tested in violent acts, whether it is killing powerful animals such as buffaloes and lions or engaging in fist-fights and boxing. Real men are tough physically and emotionally. Violence is necessary in achieving and proving the masculine identity.

References

Fight Club. Dir. David Fincher. Perf. Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter. 20th Century Fox, 1999. Film.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. Duke University, n.d. Web.….....