ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses primarily Arno Geiger’s novels Es geht uns gut [‘We are doing fine’] (2005) and Alles über Sally [‘All about Sally’] (2010). It also refers to the novels Der alte König in seinem Exil [‘The old king in his exile’] (2011) and Selbstporträt mit Flusspferd [‘Self-portrait with Hippo’] (2015). In Geiger’s work, hegemonic masculinity is increasingly frustrated, and the male characters develop masculinities, which can be categorized into four types: a disintegrating hegemonic masculinity; a helpless complicit masculinity; a strategic passive masculinity; and a gentle, caring, and emotionally literate masculinity. Many male characters avoid dealing with the past and do not talk about it, which has a tremendous impact on the sons’ relationships with their fathers. This in turn affects their male identity. Non-communication acts as a shield that men use to protect themselves from memories of the past and avoid any serious engagement with the self.
