The Glass Roses Analysis

Acknowledging the past of one can simply change the perception of who they are as a person. In the short story “The Glass Roses” written by Alden Nowlan, Stephen, a fifteen year old boy, is determined to become a man in the eyes of his father. A man to Stephen is someone who possesses characteristics similar to his father, such as being thick-skinned and hard-nosed. But Stephen is influenced by Leka’s past and eventually realizes there are more qualities that define a man. As the story progresses, Stephen deeply changes his perception on what masculinity traits are, due to the influences from the working men, his father and Leka’s past. Stephen’s perspective of what makes a man is greatly impacted by his surroundings, such as his father’s expectations and the stories told to him by Leka. Stephen’s determination to become a man is …show more content…
Stephen becomes fully aware of the state he’s put in as he anticipates that he has not live up to his father’s expectations. “You got to start actin’ like a man if you want to hold down a man’s job,” he had warned “There ain’t no room for kids in the pulp woods.” The boy winced, remembering the too-familiar squint of doubt, the hard knots of disappointment above the cold grey eyes.” Stephen’s father plays a critical role, as he induces a heavy assignment on Stephen to become a man. But due to Stephen’s physical traits being almost nowhere close to his father. He becomes uneasy as he’s unable to relieve the disappointment he sees in his father’s eyes. Stephen is then motivated to become a man in any sort of way that will exhibit his manliness to his father. But Stephen begins to see a different perspective of being a man as he meets a man, Leka who shows resembles nothing what Stephen would consider a man from the difference in character between the colleagues and his father, but is revealed as a man due to his tyranny