2。 Literature review

Without sensational scenes, The Weather Man does not have a Hollywood happy ending either。 It even stops abruptly when the audience get touched。 Its atmosphere constructing and all the other aspects are entirely different from the mainstream Hollywood movies。 Some people argue that the movie is ruthless and desperate because of its black humor。 On the contrary, some people deem that it is a kind of weird wit。 Its highlights can be that it is not outstanding as a commercial film but as a rhythm with rational and soothing narrations which demonstrates the challenges and crises men meeting with in daily life and the ways to confront the life。 The present thesis analyzes the film from the perspective of masculinity studies。 However, the masculinity studies were short of popularity and influence。 Not until Connell showed up were the blanks made up。 What makes her acquire international fame is her masculinity theory。 Take Masculinities for example, it has been translated into eight languages with a broad swath of readers。 As a masculinity monograph which is dominated by sociology, it is quoted by Russian Voprosi Filosofii, American Shakespeare Quarterly, Dutch Social Science and Medicine and other famous magazines。(Zhan 21) It helps Connell achieve international and multidisciplinary recognition。 This is because gender is such an universal, general and fundamental problem and closely bound up with everyone’s physical and mental lives that the research makes people resonate without a hitch。 文献综述

 Actually, early in the 20th century, people were only concerned about if women would change。 It seemed that female was the only sex meeting with troubles。 But nowadays, male’s problems also receive a wide spread attention。 Under this situation, masculinity studies push men to do auto-criticism and to pursue the gender equality。 It provides a rich opportunity and an academic platform to promote the harmony of social relations。

Represented by Connell’s masculinity theory, scholars in her time view the masculinity from much more perspectives。 Male is no longer regarded as a cohesive interest group, but a loose organization composed of a privileged few and various vulnerable groups。(Zhan 42) On social gender theory basis, Connell utilizes “three-part structural model of gender relations”, “hegemonic masculinity” and other important concepts to break through the stereotype of essentialism about gender identity studies。 Her theory provides an important theoretical tool for exploring sexual relations and gender internal relations from the social constructivism point and lays the groundwork for the second wave masculinity studies。

The masculinity studies are versatile enough to work in all kinds of aspects about masculinity。 By and large, the masculinity studies include four contents: the relations between men and women, the relations among men, the relations between male identity and male body and whether the masculinity will change or not and how the change trend will be。

Scholars in masculinity studies criticize the patriarchy just as the feminism do。 They proceed from various problems which are caused along with the changes of masculine prerogatives and analyze the society mechanism and instrumental attitude which lead to the loss of masculine prerogatives and the strain of male gender roles。 The limitations and harmfulness of traditional male gender roles in the patriarchal system are revealed。 The studies of masculinity attempt to not just rebuild the masculinity, but also improve the sexual relations and the equality on genders。

Against this background, Masculinity studies do provide an opportunity and a platform to push male auto-criticism, achieve gender equality and promote harmonious social relations。 This thesis puts emphasis on the masculinity and bases on Connell’s three-part structural model of gender relations。The following parts will enunciate her theory by using the movie The Weather Man as a carrier。 来*自-优=尔,论:文+网www.youerw.com