Passage to Manhood - Comparing and contrasting 2 texts

A detailed Summary of Passage to Manhood - Comparing and contrasting 2 texts

By reading a certain print texts, readers are manipulated into accepting or rejecting additional texts. The short story "The Altar of the Family" written by Michael Welding shares many comparisons with the feature article "Boys to Men" written by Stephen Scourfield, and by reading one the reader can make clear understanding of the other. Symbolism, genre and certain values and attitudes are present in both the texts and will be further examined in the following essay to show that a readers understanding of particular print texts is shaped by the reading of previous texts.

By reading "The Altar of the Family" the reader understands that to become a man a boy has to pass certain "tests or ordeals" in order to gain "rights of passage" to manhood. This process is clearly shown in the print text "The Altar of the Family". David, the boy in "The Altar of the Family" is under constant pressure from his father to become "more manly". His father constantly demoralises him and on one occasion brands him a "lily-livered poofter". The symbolism of using such words is evident in this text as lilies are something that David admires yet are extremely "girlish" in the eyes of his father, a man. In an effort to please his f

Due to all the above stated points it is easy to see that a readers understanding of particular print texts is shaped by his/her reading of other texts. By reading "The Altar of the Family" a reader is presented with a boys struggle to gain manhood, his "rite of passage". This ideology is portrayed in greater detail in the feature article "Boys to Men" therefore the reader is shaped into accepting the viewpoints of both authors. This is clear evidence to show that a readers understanding of particular print texts is shaped by his/her reading of other texts.

Societies expectations pertaining to "rites of passage" are distinctive in different societies. In the short story "The Altar of the Family", it is considered manly to murder animals and this is one expectation that the father places on his son as a "rite of passage". The traditional aboriginal passage to manhood was going through tribal law as stated in "Boys to Men". In this day and age tribal law has diminished and now one "rite of passage" for some aboriginals is being locked up, thus societies attitudes towards some aboriginals have altered over time. Many contrasting people and cultures have different attitudes concerning "rites of passage", some may think that passing a driving test is a passage, while others may think that turning eighteen is another "rite of passage". Both the texts show that there are different "tests or ordeals" to be taken to become a man thus shaping the reader to understand that by reading one text concerning "rites of passage" they will be shaped into accepting or rejecting other texts of the same genre.

Role models are needed in order for a boy to become a man. Role models or mentors guide the youth through the difficult times and also the good times of the transition period. In "The Altar

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Approximate Word count = 1206
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English