Harlee Buford - Core Response #4

When discussing Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Jeffords explains that this fairytale "helps to forward the image of unloved and unhappy white men who need kindness and affection, rather than criticism and reform, in order to become their 'true' selves again" (148). Like Beauty and the Beast, Jeffords explains how films in the 90s helped to transform ideas of masculinity featured in 80s films (like Terminator). Images of masculinity begin to shift men away from tough, hard, and violent personalities to heroic ones, often those who make their family or romantic partner a priority. For instance, in Beauty and the Beast, the Beast cannot return to his human form until he falls in love and learns to let go of his tough, violent, and cruel ways. Belle teaches the Beast how to be kind, giving, and noble, transforming the Beast from the tough man of the 80s to the heroic, family man of the 90s: "He is the New Man, the one who can transform himself from the hardened, muscle-bound, domineering man of the eighties into the considerate, loving, and self-sacrificing man of nineties (Jeffords 153). 

Although these changing ideals of masculinity can be attributed to the historical and political changes in the United States during this time, I think that the increased independence of women that emerged since post-WWII (when more women began to enter the workforce) also plays a role. Since women became more independent and less reliant on marriage, a new type of masculinity had to develop in order to appeal to the 'new woman.' Additionally, this new image of masculinity gives women more agency as they are often the catalyst of this transformation. Women in these films often inspire men to become more family-oriented, teach them how to be the 'New Man,' and are able to 'change' them. Consequently, today, a desirable portrayal of masculinity in movies and books (especially those for young women) are commonly men who are tough and violent, yet who have a soft spot for one woman in particular (the first example that comes to mind is Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries). 

Overall, I found the reading to be quite interesting and it helped me better understand the evolution of male archetypes and depictions of masculinity. 

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