Manhood by John Wain

Summary

Characters:

• Mr Willison: Determined father who wants his son to excel in sports and build physical strength, living vicariously through Rob.
• Mrs Willison: Protective mother who opposes her husband's plans, believing Rob is being pushed too hard.
• Rob: Thirteen-year-old son, caught between his parents, who lies to avoid disappointing his father.

Plot Overview:

• The story begins with Mr Willison pressuring Rob during a bike ride, promising a surprise—a "punch-ball" for boxing training.
• Mr Willison hopes Rob will make the rugby team, but Rob reveals he's been selected for the school boxing team instead.
• Mrs Willison disapproves, concerned about the physical risks of boxing.
• On the day of the boxing tournament, Rob fakes stomach pains. Mr Willison discovers from a teacher that the school does not have a boxing team, realising Rob has been lying.
• The story ends without resolution, leaving Mr Willison's reaction ambiguous.

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Themes

Manhood and Masculinity:

• Explores differing views of masculinity.
  • Mr Willison: Associates manhood with physical strength and achievement.
  • Mrs Willison: Believes manhood also involves emotional maturity and care.

Parent-Child Relationships:

• Highlights generational conflicts and the pressure parents place on children to fulfil their unrealised ambitions.

Communication and Deception:

• Lack of effective communication leads to misunderstandings and lies.
• Rob lies to protect himself from his father's expectations.

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Key Literary Aspects

Setting

• Takes place mainly at the Willison's home and during a bike ride in the countryside.
• Reflects a domestic atmosphere where family dynamics are central to the conflict.

Structure and Plot Development

• Exposition: Introduction to the strained father-son relationship.
• Rising Action: Rob's reluctance and lies build tension.
• Climax: Mr Willison discovers Rob's deception about boxing.
• Ending: Open-ended, leaving Mr Willison's reaction unclear.

Characterisation

• Mr Willison:
  • Protagonist driving the story with his ambitions for Rob.
  • Strong-willed but insensitive, failing to see Rob's perspective.
• Rob:
  • Passive and submissive, unable to confront his father.
  • Lies to avoid conflict, showing his immaturity and fear.
• Mrs Willison:
  • Opposes her husband's plans, advocating for Rob's well-being.
  • Represents a nurturing and protective approach.

Style and Dialogue

• Dialogue reveals the tension between characters:

  • Example: Arguments between Mr and Mrs Willison about what is best for Rob.

    

  • Shows a lack of resolution and communication.

Narrator and Point of View

• Third-person narration:
  • Provides an objective view of all characters, showing their thoughts and motivations.

Language and Figurative Devices

• Diction:
  • Highlights Mr Willison's forceful nature through phrases like "Take a punch at it" and "Let's go and eat."
• Figurative Language:
  • Similes describes Rob's discomfort: "Rob lay like a sullen corpse" and "looked horribly like the victim of an accident."

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Tone and Mood

Tone:

• Varies between optimistic (Mr Willison's enthusiasm) and serious (conflict between characters).

Mood:

• Tense and uneasy, reflecting Rob's struggles and the family's conflicts.

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Exam Tips

• Focus on themes like masculinity and parent-child dynamics when answering questions.
• Use examples of dialogue and figurative language to support your analysis.
• Be prepared to discuss the open ending and how it reflects unresolved conflicts in the story.
• Highlight how Mr Willison's behaviour affects Rob's actions and development.