If anyone ever walked up to you and said these words ‘Be a Man,’ they must have cut through you like Napoleon’s Sword. Chances are also high that you felt like the coward of the county, about whom Kenny Rogers so passionately sang. The big question is this: What did you do about it?
Well, becoming a real man, to man up or manliness, as some put it, doesn’t start or end with reading ‘The Things They Carried Away,’ a novel by Tim O’Brien. While O’Brien’s story speaks of men who went to Vietnam War, their desire for victory and getting attached to things that would later remind them of such moments, the definition of a real man does not always manifest in the battlefield. It is only human to say that men, too, cry – when losing people and things they treasure. And this is, basically, what many essay about "The Things They Carried" dwell on, and we are going to dig in in this article as well.
Being a real man in the modern age
If you want to be a real man, it is important to first of all, understand things have changed. Some say it is to take responsibility for yourself and others. Men of great honor, history books report, did honorable things – more than societies could ever fathom. They took risks bigger than life, submitted to servitude yet emerged victorious. But that was then.
Today’s man is different. He is a shadow of the Neanderthal. He has a unique perspective of life, highly ambitious, a heavy addictive to information, yet draws most of his inspirations from great men who ever lived. In the midst of these changes, physicality as a measure of manliness is taking a backseat, albeit necessary in some professions like soccer, boxing and baseball.
Do we then go ahead to say that it is challenging being a real man in this age and time – someone people can look up to? Well, there would be exceptions to such a discussion; and many would agree that there is a big gap between modern man and the one who lived in the early 19th century or earlier.
However, it is noteworthy that toxic masculinity is largely to blame in men who fall short of their ‘manly glory.’ The concept of being a man remains the same as it were many centuries ago.
Failsafe ways of reigniting your manliness
Manliness is not always going to be about bedroom prowess, ego, physique or chauvinism. These are, in fact, misconceptions. You can do anything to be a real man, but the only thing that will catapult your quest in the right trajectory is embracing a man’s psyche. It has everything to do with the following:
Manliness is embracing fearlessness and resilience
If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough. These words came from the first woman-president in Africa (Liberia) – Sirleaf Ellen Johnson. You would agree that they are profound proclamations, but as someone who wants to become a real man, it is important to accept that men, too, have a fear factor. Everyone fears something, and for a man, the first step toward being real is accepting such vulnerabilities instead of cultivating the courage to overcome them.
The novel ‘The Things they carried,’ paints a picture of men who ventured into unknown territories, to fight a war that would easily claim their lives. However, by embracing fearlessness, they earned a tag of real men when songs of victory rented the air. A lesson you can draw from this is that you should let your dreams scare you but never disembark from pursuing them for in the end real men are those who never gave up.
You may also want to borrow a leaf from Nelson Mandela, a man who never gave up despite failing many times. You have to be reliable even if it means starting all over again, when hope is dwindling first. In difficult situations, Mandela knew everyone was looking up to him, and despite spending 27 years behind bars, his fighting spirit remained a fireball that rekindled hopes in hearts of people who feared for their lives every single minute.
Real men live by their hearts, listen and speak from their convictions
Being in touch with emotions is a powerful measure of manliness. While you can be vulnerable to love or hate, it is important to expressly and courageously state your convictions, listen and speak from the heart.
Physical strength is a true measure of manliness
Whether you choose to learn martial arts, train with a heavyweight boxer or partake in any other physical exercise, fitness should be part of a man’s life. You wouldn’t be able to write an essay about The Things They Carried if you will cry like a baby. You must be ready to defend yourself because real men don’t panic.
The Bottom Line
How to become a real man is a debate that cannot end now. Thus, reading The Things They Carried essay will help you unearth equally important lessons. A bonus point is that you must not let anger be your cause of destruction.