Hegemonic Masculinity Characters And Plot Of The Popular...

The characters and plot of the popular sitcom Two and a half men are an excellent representation of how the production of hegemonic masculinity and subordinate masculinity in the show reinforce the idea of hegemonic masculinity as the only real form of manliness accepted by society’s standards of an â€Å"ideal man.† Effeminate masculinity, a subordinate form of masculinity, is not represented in the show in a positive light rather, it is mocked. The characters that play these roles are Charlie, who plays the hyper masculine role, and Alan, who plays the effeminate masculinity role. Alan’s role is inferior compared to that of Charlie’s hyper masculine character and this is strongly evident in the clip â€Å"Charlie gives Alan some lessons.† Two and†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"In accounts grounded in sex-role theory, such as that by Harris, â€Å"masculinity† identifies cultural â€Å"norms† and â€Å"scripts† which set standards for and thus influence men’s behaviour.† (Flood 205) It is through the process of socialization and interaction that we learn what attitudes, behaviours, norms and scripts make a man ‘manly’ enough to be respected in society. Not every society and time period has the same standards on what it means to be masculine and what traits a man must possess in order to be ‘culturally honoured’ or be considered the ‘ideal’ man by society; therefore, â€Å"masculinity is historically contingent on so many factors.† (Spring) In the West, for example, an ‘ideal’ man in society must be able to supress his emotions, be financially/socially stable, be successful, and Caucasian. South Asian countries have other standards set by society of what it means to be masculine. Throughout the show, although latent, Alan attempts to be more like his brother by acting in hyper masculine ways. According to sociologist Erving Goffman, the definition of hegemonic masculinity is the following: â€Å"a young, married, white, urban, northern, heterosexual, Protestant, father, of college education, fully employed, [†¦] Any male who fails to qualify in any one of these ways is likely to view himself-during moments at least-as unworthy, incomplete, and inferior.† (Kimmel and Holler, 9). Charlie is an example of a man who fits the