ABSTRACT

The unexamined longing for manhood leads to choices that are easily spoofed, as shown in the stories of Ron, Rick, Larry, and Joe in Chapter Nine. But simply to scoff at such behaviors-however ridiculous they may seem-yields but smug self-satisfaction for the satirist. Plus, the dissed get pissed. Worse, making a mockery of the longing for manhood offers no more practical insight into it than was evidenced by the incognizant characters themselves.