Being a Man- Summary

[Meghan Jacobson]

 Summary.

 The short story Being a Man is written from the viewpoint of a male who is strongly against the views that he believes society has put on mankind. Paul Theroux has various examples that back up his belief. Theroux goes into detail about how sports demolish young boys. "I regard high school sports as a drug far worse then marijuana..." He also talks about society's view of writers and how they're not "manly enough" and sometimes thought of as lower than some more "macho" men. This piece is strongly opinionated and backed with factual information.

[Elysem306]

Connect.

   The passage, "Being a Man", by Paul Theroux relates to life today by showing how society has created a mold in which they believe you must fit. (This goes for men or women). If you do not conform to the standards, in this case manliness, you are more likely to be looked down upon. Theroux writes about the pressure to be manly from an early age. "Take up a sport, get more fresh air, join the Boy Scouts, and I was urged not to read so much." That statement shows the pressures of society, and we still find them today. Some things will never change.