I chose to do the "tough guise" as my topic for my PhotoBlog assignment. The "tough guise" refers to the front or "mask" society has trained children to put on especially boys. Watching the Tough guise movie we learned that "Boys and young men learn early on that being a so called "real man" means you have to take on this "tough guise"... (Katz, Tough Guise).This front is created through the medias portrayal of how men should act. They train young boys that if they do not have a gun or are not violent and controlling then they are not a "real man". The media influences young boys on how to behave by glorifying weapons, bloody, violent, and grotesque material. They teach young men to suppress feminine qualities, by acting out in rage and anger instead of realistically solving emotional problems. For example the media teaches boys to not cry or seek help when there are getting bullied, but to go get a gun and be a vigilante. They believe this behavior will make them tough and confident; respected by their peers and highly sought after. Just like the way the media portrays our well known celebrities like Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood, and even Wesley Snipes. If we do not confront this dilemma head on by showing the negative consequences of this behavior then this violent "tough guise" will continue to plague our youth.
Many boys adopt the "tough guise" because they want to blend in with society’s gender socializations. It is hard being a guy in today's society if you are not tough. If you do not conform to its standards people may take advantage of you and walk all over you barbecue they think your weak. They may even call you homophobic slurs such as fag or pussy.
My image pictures a man lounging on a chair holding a gun (fake) acting out what he sees on the television. The man on the television Scarface (Al Pacino) a violent notorious drug lord is depicted as a role model. The man is lounging taking up allot of space and is the center of the image showing his robust vigorous figure. The man is also looking directly into the camera; this displays his confidence when he is acting tough. The man feels empowered because he is holding a gun just like the tough guys in the movie. If he has any problems he is able to handle them accordingly like a "real man". The camera angle is low, the man is being looked up upon, this displays his power. My image depicts how easily young men are influenced to mimic the behavior they see on television. Think about how many young men and boys have been influenced to have a gun and kill people like Scarface did. Think about how many murders and mass shooting could have been avoided if movies like this didn't exist or depicted how this erratic behavior will get you nowhere but a six by eight foot jail cell or even a coffin.
Works Cited
Bregman, Martin, and Oliver Stone. Scarface. Universal, 1983.
Katz, Jason, and Jeremy Earp. Tough Guise. Tough Guise, 1999,
shop.mediaed.org/tough-guise-p163.aspx.
2 comments:
From: Jenny
The tough guise that many men put on is very problematic in the sense that it promotes violence that would otherwise be seen as extremely offensive if a woman were to put on this same disguise. I love that this image very accurately displays the men that we see in the media today and even in reality.
The man in the image is making a scowling, unpleasant face as if he is looking down onto the audience, (most likely a young boy looking to the media searching for an identity) disapprovingly. The darkness to the image creates an ominous atmosphere. The darkness also gives a villainous effect; suggesting that being tough and a villain is synonymous with one another. The man holding a gun and the image of Al Pacino holding a gun behind him further solidifies this villainization of men displaying the “tough guise”. Additionally, the man is also positioned into a corner. This suggests that the tough guise is the only thing that a boy/man can turn to. Men are “trapped” in this tough guise because this is the only personality that society will accept from men.
The guns shown in this image represents the way that men are taught to use violence to solve all of their problems rather than showing a more vulnerable side of themselves. The gun that the man is holding in this image is pointed away from the camera. This positioning could be interpreted as threatening an off camera person or persons. The person(s) that this gun is pointed to could be the patriarchy that supports the “tough guise” that men put on. Although the “tough guise” is the most “acceptable” portrayal of a man, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone accepts this ideal. Alternatively, the gun could be pointed at someone trying to question this man’s “manliness” as men seem to feel the need to constantly assert their dominance, further displaying this tough disguise in order to be accepted as a “real man”.
From: Capri
In Ryan’s interpretation of “Enacting Tough Guise” I really enjoy the lighting he has created in the photo. The lighting to me, is a good creative element because it fits his theme of matching the Scarface character. The lighting is very dark and makes the audience focus on the light in the picture. The light from the television gives focus to the main theme of the photo, Scarface himself. The candle light room near Ryan helps us focus on him as well. It gives us focus to him mimicking the exact pose of Scarface further emphasizing the reenactment of “Tough Guise”. I also think that the background that is in the photo helps as well. The representation of space in the photo gives a good theme similar to themes in the movie Scarface. The color of the wall further emphasizes the masculinity in the make culture. I think the connection of the photo is obviously how men to try to copy that tough guise act, especially from an actor who is notorious for crime. I definitely agree with Ryan, in the aspect that it is very easy for men to copy men. This is a perfect example of that. I agree with Ryan’s photo because by copying the Scarface picture, it does represent the way men can copy exactly the actions and words of men. I also think the photo can represent how far men can go to create a tough guys act. By Ryan copying Scarface character right down to the attire is how far men can go to be a tough guy, to even dress just like them.
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