An Analysis Of "This Boy's Life"
"This Boy's Life" is a memoir about a young man's struggles with
his own identity. The first section of the chapter titled, "Uncool", is a
good illustration of how the young Tobias Wolff feared other peoples
perceptions of his true self. The fact that Wolff and his two friends,
Taylor and Silver, were raised without true father figures in their lives
played a major role in the behavior and character of these three young men.
Through othering and double consciousness, the boys came to realize their
weaknesses. In an effort to hide their weaknesses, they participated in
deviant behavior in order to quench their thirst for power and strength.
Tobias Wolff's intentions in writing such a ...
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should
act, whether it's good or bad. These three boys never had that experience
from a father on a regular basis. Everything that they learned at home,
they learned from their mother. By no fault of their mothers, the three
boys developed a sensitive feminine side. Deep down, almost subconsciously,
they were all aware of their sensitivity, which made them feel weak. Their
feelings of inferiority showed with their shyness around girls, their
attempts at looking cool in the mirror, and in their teasing of one another.
A good example of their uneasiness around girls is shown as Wolff
described Taylor's sisters, "As girls went they were nothing special, but
they were girls, and empowered by that fact to render judgment on us. They
could make us cringe just by rolling their eyes. Silver and I were afraid
of them..."(pg. 40). The fact that the girls were "nothing special" yet
"Silver and I were afraid of them" is evidence of their emotional frailty.
Jack's fear of the way others ...
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40). When Jack looked at his two best friends and
saw a "shameless coward" and a "thin-skinned boy who cried easily" he had
no choice but to come to the realization that he was no better.
The three boys, in an attempt to hide their weaknesses, resorted to
deviant behavior to experience what they lacked; strength, power, and a
sense of belonging. Since they had none of these characteristics, they
admired Nazis for the fact that they, at one time, had an abundance of
power. The feeling of belonging to something was also attractive. They
watched television programs about the Nazis and failed to see the wrong in
them. They misinterpreted the whole purpose of these shows. ...
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An Analysis Of "This Boy's Life". (2007, September 18). Retrieved December 22, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/An-Analysis-Of-This-Boys-Life/71376
"An Analysis Of "This Boy's Life"." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 18 Sep. 2007. Web. 22 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/An-Analysis-Of-This-Boys-Life/71376>
"An Analysis Of "This Boy's Life"." Essayworld.com. September 18, 2007. Accessed December 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/An-Analysis-Of-This-Boys-Life/71376.
"An Analysis Of "This Boy's Life"." Essayworld.com. September 18, 2007. Accessed December 22, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/An-Analysis-Of-This-Boys-Life/71376.
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