Mr. Wormwood: A Failure in Masculinity
Images and expectations of masculinity surround us in every aspect of life. These ideas are fed to the individual by society from the very earliest stages of socialization. Even children are indirectly taught about categorizing men into a hierarchy of masculinities. This is evident in the books and novels children read. One such novel is Roald Dahl's Matilda. In telling the story of an extraordinarily intelligent young girl, Dahl introduces the character of her father, Mr. Wormwood. In the development of Mr. Wormwood's character, Dahl shows the reader that Matilda's father is not a true masculinity. He is not a true provider, procreator or protector. Though he has a job, wormwood is not a true provider because he earns a living by stealing cars and reselling them. Though he has children, Wormwood is not a true procreator because he does not care for them. Finally, Wormwood is not a protector because when the police catch up with him, Wormwood fleas the country and leaves his daughter behind. Through an examination of Wormwood's deficiencies
Finally, Wormwood cannot fill the role of protector either. This fact becomes most obvious when Wormwood realizes the police are after him. Instead of confessing to what he did, Wormwood decides to run away. He does not think of the effect this will have on his family. His primary concern is for himself. He does not face the police and ask them to keep his family safe from suffering the consequences of his actions; instead he uproots his family. Facing adversity, Wormwood cannot keep his family together and leaves his daughter behind. Wormwood does not use legal means to be a protector, instead he hides from the legal system. When difficulty knocked on his door, Wormwood proved he couldn't be the protector of his family. First, Wormwood is not a provider. Though the family lives well, Wormwood does not meet the criteria of provider because he earns an underhanded living. He uses sawdust to make cars run well. He also paints them to make them look like they are in good condition. He also alters the speedometer to make it look like the ca
Some common words found in the essay are:
Finally Wormwood, Dahl Occasionally, Dahl's Matilda, Matilda Dahl, , true provider, leaves daughter, Cape Ltd, provider procreator protector, masculinity true provider, true provider procreator, provider comes, wormwood true, finally wormwood, provider procreator, dahl demonstrates, procreator protector, children wormwood, provider earns,
Approximate Word count = 713
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
