In To Live we have a man who in the beginning takes everything he has completely for granted. His masculinity was handed to him by his ancestors but not assured. In his undeserving arrogance he looses everything that defines him as a man. His lover leaves him, his father dies knowing his heir is a failure to the family. Throughout the story we see that it is not the choices your make

I see Fugui as more of a hero than our present day Arnold Swarzonagers because he has only the powers of everyday life to draw from to defeat his foes, and conquer his fears. There is no inner chi but what he can muster up to face the death of his son, or the oncoming revolutionary army. The pain felt by the emotional wounds dealt to Fugui is felt with empathy from the audience since the situations are so close to home. It can't be anyone's fault that Fugui made his son go to school on that fateful day but as the audience we find blame in Fugui. Fugui quietly accepts this responsibility and knows that he must go on for his family, with his wife by his side to relieve him when he takes time to break down.

In A Moment of Romance Wah Dee can also be seen carrying out these examples of masculine responsibility and following the same path to attain masculine values. In Wah Dees case he never had anything so he had nothing to loose. Until, that is, he met Jojo and he had reason. In this chaotic world of gangs and gangsters Wah Dee also has difficulty realizing his masculine responsibility until the very end. Throughout the story he is torn between family and his lover.

In The Butcher's Wife Chen gives off the appearance of fulfilling his masculine responsibilities and to everyone except that audience this veneer may never have been lifted to reveal the truth. Providing a roof, food, and what seemed like a caring home, to those not living in it, was Chen's attempt at fulfilling his masculine responsibility. In providing he has succeeded but in seeing that she has love, and that her future is secure he has failed miserably. In abusing her Chen exceeds the boundaries of mascu

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Approximate Word count = 1142
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)