Manhood In A Gathering Of Old Men

Throughout A Gathering of Old Men, the term “Manhood” is thrown around quite a lot. Gaines uses this motif as a way to show that these men are mature individuals, coming to grips with the flaws in society and persevering. The old men were thrown into a situation that had all odds against them and truly tested their manhood. In their society, African Americans are viewed as lower class citizens, especially in the south. A character like Mathu, although he is on the lower part of the social class, he does not let these setbacks affect him. Originally, the men hear of the murdering and come to help Mathu, but soon it translates into a standoff of pride. Manhood is apparent in this novel primarily through the old men and their fight against a prejudice …show more content…
This is a big step for some of the men, who have lived most of their lives hiding under the bed in fear. Some of the men may not express it, but they all have been longing to stand up for something. When they could stand up against Mapes and Fix, they found it as the perfect opportunity. In the society that they live in, African Americans get almost no say in what happens. Many of them keep their heads down and do their business on the Marshall Plantation. Charlie, Beau’s “slave”, is one of the weakest ones. He has been listening to what Beau tells him to do for almost his whole life. But something comes over Charlie by the end of the novel. He is a changed man who stands up to racial prejudice and kills Beau. Charlie then flees the scene of the murder only to return because of the guilt. “I laid there listening, …show more content…
It may not have been present in the beginning of the novel, but by the end they realize they aren’t standing up for Mathu, they’re standing up for each other. They have been waiting for something to stand up for. One reason that they came to help Mathu was to reaffirm their manhood. By the end of the book, they are in a standoff with a lynching mob. In that lynching mob is Luke Will, who is constantly referred to as a man by Gains. One of the main reasons he is referred to as a man is because of his size and intimidation. The old men don’t have the size and intimidation factor that Luke Will does; however, they are still men, because they stand for what is right in the face of adversity. When they prevail, they are reaffirmed of their manhood. Manhood has progressed in this novel through the old men and Charlie because they stand up for what is right, even if they’re against all odds. Even though in the beginning they were only going to stand up for their friend, by the end of the book they were doing it for