Summary:
Ernest J Gaines' book A Gathering of Old Men strongly focuses on manhood. His definition of manhood is when people have courage and determination to make a stand to fight for what they believe. Throughout the book, courage and change take place, not only on the outside of individuals, but on the inside as well.
"We need the iron qualities that go with true manhood. We need the positive virtues of resolution, of courage, of indomitable will, of power to do without shrinking the rough work that must always be done."- Theodore Roosevelt What Roosevelt means, is that manhood is earned and it is something you have to work for. Ernest J Gaines' book A Gathering of Old Men strongly focuses on manhood. His definition of manhood is when people have courage and determination to make a stand to fight for what they believe. Throughout the book, courage and change take place, not only on the outside of individuals, but on the inside as well.
In the first part of the book Mathu is the only one that has ever stood up against Fix or his gang. Mathu says "A man got to do what he thinks is right, Sheriff.... That's what part him from a boy." (85) This is an important part of the book, not because he admits to killing Beau, but because everyone suspects, and at the same time respects him because he truly is a man. Mathu's courage and fearlessness sets the tone for all the other men wanting to change and earn their own manhood.
For as long as all the old men can remember, they always were treated badly: kicked around, cussed at, hit, slapped, and beaten. They finally decided on this day to stand up, and say and do something for themselves and for Mathu. "He works in mysterious ways...Give an old nigger like me one more chance to do something with his life...I'm going to Marshall. Even if I have to die at Marshall" (38) They waited till now because no one had the guts until now. Yes, they are old and going to die soon, but before they die they want to make a statement that will be talked about for years to come. Maybe this heroism can even change the minds of many future generations.
Fix's change is not seen on the outside, it's all internal. Fix is an old man, and up until now, he was known for beating up people, and had a very bad reputation throughout the town. But, when his son asked him not do anything for the sake of his reputation, "I couldn't make All-American, Papa, if I was involved in something against the law, even if our name was involved" (138), Fix reluctantly obeyed. He knew everybody would think he was going soft and wouldn't understand, but he didn't care, he respected the wishes of family and for that he became a father and a man all in one day.
The most influential person, with the most dramatic boy to man change, was Charlie. "I'm a man, I want the world to know it. I ain't Big Charlie, nigger boy, no more, I'm a man" (187). Charlie said he had been a boy for fifty yeas, always running away from his problems and letting people pick on him. But his day came, Mathu's words finally sunk in, and it was his time to be a man. He knew he would surely be put in the electric chair for killing Beau, but he was proud for doing it anyway. While he was in this sort of happy, proud, manly mood, he decided to also kill Luke Will.
All of these changes in character would not have taken place if it were not for Mathu. Everyone thought Mathu killed Beau, so they wanted to stand up for him and be heroes too. Charlie in fact killed Beau because Mathu had told him to stand up for himself practically his whole life, and this was no different. "I didn't want to take the gun, but I could tell in Parrain's face if I didn't, he was go'n stop Beau himself, and then he was go'n stop me too" (191). The feeling of being a man is a feeling of great pride, courage, bravery and a sensation that you can do anything you set your mind to. Manhood is a positive virtue, a pledge, to be brave, tough, in control, and to do the rough work that must always be done.
This is the complete article, containing 702 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
