Through centuries of patriarchal rules dominating societies, socially constructed male gender roles of power and control have been ingrained in the minds of individuals. Though the desire of authority can be beneficial for personal growth and achievements, oppression and subjugation can ensue when those individual aspirations are enforced upon involuntary third parties. Clarice Lispector in The Hour of the Star, and Gene Luen Yang, in American Born Chinese, comment on this idea as they depict characters acting as the oppressors and the oppressed. Through the similar use of various perspectives, the two authors display the detrimental effects of involuntary suppression invoked by masculinity in order to remark on the lack of validity of the
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Lispector, on the other hand, utilizes the different point of views to include the outlook of the oppressor, Rodrigo, in addition to a portrayal of the oppressed, Macabea. She does this through a layering of perspective, as Rodrigo is a character in the book writing about another character, Macabea. Through the similar use of various perspectives to frame the story, the different malign effects of masculinity is further highlighted. American Born Chinese displays the influences of male gender roles in a literal, yet subtle execution. The literal aspects are shown as the context of the graphic novel is more tangential to its audience of American adolescents. The oppressive masculinity is expressed subtly as the effective attempts of control are done in a seemingly polite but underhandedly attacking way. Specifically, the most triggering point for Jin is when Greg tells him that he should stay away from Amelia because she “[...] has to start paying attention to who she hangs out with” (Yang
Lispector, on the other hand, utilizes the different point of views to include the outlook of the oppressor, Rodrigo, in addition to a portrayal of the oppressed, Macabea. She does this through a layering of perspective, as Rodrigo is a character in the book writing about another character, Macabea. Through the similar use of various perspectives to frame the story, the different malign effects of masculinity is further highlighted. American Born Chinese displays the influences of male gender roles in a literal, yet subtle execution. The literal aspects are shown as the context of the graphic novel is more tangential to its audience of American adolescents. The oppressive masculinity is expressed subtly as the effective attempts of control are done in a seemingly polite but underhandedly attacking way. Specifically, the most triggering point for Jin is when Greg tells him that he should stay away from Amelia because she “[...] has to start paying attention to who she hangs out with” (Yang