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Examples Of Masculinity In The Big Lebowski

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Masculinity is something that many people see and define differently on many levels. Throughout The Big Lebowski different styles of masculinity are seen to be conflicting each other in many different ways and forms. In the movie the dude, Walter, The Big Lebowski, Donny, and The stranger are seen as five different styles of masculinity. The Main character “The Dude” is seen as a middle aged hippie who’s just an ordinary guy. Walter, “the Dudes” best friend, is a Vietnam veteran is always about the rules. The Big Lebowski is a millionaire that is all about using time wisely using his time productively. Donny is the one character in the movie that is very neural and good natured. One of the main ideas of this movie is figurative castration …show more content…

Um, I am not “Mr. Lebowski”. You’re Mr. Lebowski. I’m the Dude. So that’s what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you’re not into the whole brevity thing.” I interpret this as The Dude trying to explain who he is as a man by standing up for his name which is who he is. When The Dude was in the home of The Big Lebowski, he looks into the time magazine mirror, I see a hidden meaning behind that which is what makes a man. Can a man really be a man without his manhood? Throughout the movie many things tie into the theme of masculinity or what makes a man. Castration is seen throughout the movie from the three thugs that break into The Dude’s house threaten to castrate him to The Big Lebowski being disabled to a wheel chair. That can be seen as The Big Lebowski being symbolically castrated, without him being able to walk. Each of the characters demonstrate one thing that seems to define a man, but why doesn’t one character have all these characteristics? In the movie when The Dude enters times of stress of impending violence for example when Treehorn’s thugs shove his head in the toilet and the Big Lebowski ranting at him, he puts his shades on. The Dude seems to be uninterested in competing with the “Manliness” of The Big Lebowski or Treehorn’s thugs. This shows that the dude doesn’t really seem to care about the idea of being a man means being powerful. When The Dude met with the Big Lebowski for …show more content…

But perhaps you’re right…
You mind if I do a jay?
Bunny…
‘Scuse me?
Bunny Lebowski. She is the light of my life. Are you surprised at my tears, sir?
Oh, Fuckin A.
Strong men also cry, strong men also cry…
The Big Lebowski asks The Dude what makes a man, yet the dude doesn’t know. He answers “A pair of testicles” this is correct but the theme of what makes a man defined by biological means or a person’s identity and who they are. The movie brings up many different conceptions of a man but since not one person has all the conceptions, the Cohen brother were implying that a man is not this perfect image society makes us out to be. I think that what a man is can’t be defined by society but only by the man himself. TBL “offers us an imaginative redemption from the cultural, structural imperatives that work to constrain us” This quote from Fred Ashe’s article gives the idea of……… Out of all of the different styles of masculinity in The Big Lebowski shown by the characters, only one seems to be a real man. The Dude an unemployed slacker and stoner, physically unfit, cowardly, and poor. This is very far away from what society considers a man, by the end you see that he ends up being very courageous and willing to do the right

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