‘This Boy’s Life Demonstrates the Struggle to Find an Identity in a Harsh Environment’. Discuss
- Submitted by: pertichben33
- Views: 94
- Category: English: Novels
- Date Submitted: 06/16/2016 01:18 PM
- Pages: 5
- Report this Essay
Wolff's memoir this boys life provides an insight into the difficulty faced by many individuals in order to find and maintain a stable identity. The memoir explores how the youth of 1950s America, in particular Toby and his friends struggle to find an identity as a result of the confines of the 1950s societal values. Through male figures such as Dwight and Roy it is evident that males become insecure as a result of constantly needing to fit the picture of an American soldier and the values of masculinity. However through all these adversities, Rosemary is able to break free of the stigma placed on woman, hence able to maintain her identity.
Through various characters such as the Terry brothers at the beginning of the memoir or in the Amen corner, where Toby associates himself with chuck, Wolff's memoir highlights the difficulty the youth faced in finding an identity as they were constantly bombarded with ideals to fit into. Toby's greatest moment of longing for a stable identity, is where he is begging his mother to let Roy give him the riffle because ‘he needed the riffle … For the way it completed [him]. This justify’s Toby needs a gun In order to prove to himself that he knows what kind of person he is. Toby feels that he needs to fit into the 1950s masculine image, as all males should be in ‘uniform’. The theme of violence and authority reoccurs constantly throughout the memoir as even the Terry silver and Terry Taylor find it a necessity to associate themselves with the image of blood and guns , hence their attraction to the nazis. This indicates that the society that the boys are raised in forces them to follow a certain path even if it restricts them from finding their identity. This is best indicated in the episode of the memoir where Toby and his friends shower eggs upon ‘the man in the thunderbird’. The boys ‘resented his maleness and success’. The boys were jealous they weren't like the man and envious of the lifestyle he lives and Toby blatantly...
Through various characters such as the Terry brothers at the beginning of the memoir or in the Amen corner, where Toby associates himself with chuck, Wolff's memoir highlights the difficulty the youth faced in finding an identity as they were constantly bombarded with ideals to fit into. Toby's greatest moment of longing for a stable identity, is where he is begging his mother to let Roy give him the riffle because ‘he needed the riffle … For the way it completed [him]. This justify’s Toby needs a gun In order to prove to himself that he knows what kind of person he is. Toby feels that he needs to fit into the 1950s masculine image, as all males should be in ‘uniform’. The theme of violence and authority reoccurs constantly throughout the memoir as even the Terry silver and Terry Taylor find it a necessity to associate themselves with the image of blood and guns , hence their attraction to the nazis. This indicates that the society that the boys are raised in forces them to follow a certain path even if it restricts them from finding their identity. This is best indicated in the episode of the memoir where Toby and his friends shower eggs upon ‘the man in the thunderbird’. The boys ‘resented his maleness and success’. The boys were jealous they weren't like the man and envious of the lifestyle he lives and Toby blatantly...