Exploring the connections between the mask of masculinity and the mask Essay

Exploring the connections between the mask of masculinity and the mask of femininity - testify ExampleA study of the offset printing chapter Saplings in the Storm of Mary Piphers Reviving Ophelia and the first chapter internal the earthly concern of Boys Behind the Mask of Masculinity of William Pollocks Real Boys give an brainstorm into the complex psyche of adolescent girls and adolescent boys in coping with societal expectations and norms.Saplings in the Storm and Inside the World of Boys approach the mistakable issue from two different perspectives. Both take us sticker to the world of adolescence. While Saplings in the Storm tells us about the distress of adolescent girls, Inside the World of Boys presents the struggle of teenage boys. In both the cases the progeny boys and the girls are trying hard to be male and feminine rather than naturally grow up into men and women.A girl has always been an brain-teaser to a boy and vice versa. It is but natural that adolescent girls and boys fall on and off in love. A fantasy soon gives way to disillusionment as one sees the other without the mask. They are in love with the mask which is based on unreal concepts of masculinity and femininity. The adolescent boys and girls pass through the same experience of trying to fit into the mask. They struggle to play a certain role and sink in depression when this unnatural struggle takes a toll on their mental health.Today most of the young girls would go to any extent to be the femme fatale with killer looks and a perfect 10 figure or be that pretty young thing. Sadly enough, this is the recent trend of femininity. Pipher begins her chapter Saplings in the Storm with the example of her full cousin Polly who gave up her tomboyish and spontaneous self to become a social butterfly only to be accepted by her peers. (Cited in Schmidt et al) Pollock in his Inside the World of Boys points out to a similar situation of how boys try to live the myths about masculinity. ( Cited in Schmidt et al) Boys dont cry, boys are tough, boys are