As a teen he is rowdy and full of life, armed to the teeth with a ‘healthy’ sex drive the ultimate manifestation of the phrase “boys will be boys”. He has many friends and does not struggle with fitting in. He is ‘masculine’ in that he does not cry nor outwardly express any emotions outside of anger and lust. This man fulfills the roles expected of his gender. This man is able-bodied and strong (both physically and mentally). When it comes to men, the ultimate goal-in both these cases- is to embody the widely advertised image of what is considered to be a ‘normal’ or ‘average’ man. This mode of thinking presents a set of standards and conventions which men are expected to both adhere to and promote interpersonally.
Toxic masculinity (or hegemonic masculinity) is a series of behaviors and traits found in men who have been molded by the ideologies of patriarchy. It’s an inclination toward projection, a way of securing confidence and self-image (two things which are threatened both systematically and socially) by registering one’s own sexual identity as a flaw in other people. ”…Internalized homophobia is a fear and aversion toward homosexuality that is felt by a member of said sexuality. Since the Tumblr user has already made an excellent analysis regarding the subject, I’m going to quote them. Let’s start with Theo’s toxic masculinity and internalized homophobia.
Literary critics have completely ignored the implications of a romance. The relationship between the two is a bit controversial. It follows the characters Theodore Decker and Boris Pavlikovsky. The Goldfinch is a novel written by Donna Tartt, published in 2013.