7. In The Things They Carried American masculinty is redefined. When we are forced to examine the idea of war one may stereotype the soilders. We think of strong men with only one thing on their mind...winning by any means. Now its not to say that strong men can't be sensitive, but they are trained not to be while in combat. O'Brien speaks of lieutenant Jimmy Cross very intemately. The reader is exposed to Jimmys love and devotion towards Martha. Jimmy has painted a very romantic picture of Martha. O'Brien mentions how Jmmy licks the envelopes because he knew Marthas tongue had been there. He holds the pebble in his mouth because she held it in her breast pocket. And he convinced himself that she was a virgin. Where this is a redefinition of masculinity is when Jimmy cannot stop envisioning Martha in even the most dangerous situations. While he walking through the tall jungle grass of Vietnam, he is daydreaming he is actually running through wheat fields with Martha. Jimmy is not focused on the task at hand. Some of his men die and he later blames himself for not being the leader he should have been. Its Jimmy's need for love and his romantic lust for Martha that make up his masculinity. Not the usual strong dominate man that usually is the center of masculinity.
1. I believe that Shakespeare is trying to give his definition of love. The constancy of love means that you have to be faithful that you will love again even after heartbreak. Shakespeare writes in Let me not to the marriage of true minds "it is the star to every wandering bark" line 7. What a comforting feeling knowing that love is always going to be there to guide you even through the roughest times; like the north star guides sailors through stormy seas.
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