The Reivers Men and Masculinity

Like most dudes, Lucius learns how to be a man from the guys who surround him. In <em>The Reivers</em>, he goes through the process like osmosis, absorbing masculine qualities from Grandfather and Boon and learning to associate objects like guns with masculinity. Throughout his adventures, he also meets guys whose masculine qualities aren't so nice—we're looking at you, Otis, Mr. Binford, and Butch. A big part of Lucius's growing-up process is figuring out which kind of man he'd most like to be.

Questions About Men and Masculinity

1. What does Lucius learn about masculinity throughout his adventures? How does he feel about what it means to be a man?
2. What role does masculinity play on Grandfather's farm? In Miss Reba's brothel?
3. How do the male characters' views of women inform their sense of masculinity?
4. Why are the majority of the characters in the story male?

Chew on This

In The Reivers, male characters use their masculinity as an excuse to make poor choices.

Male characters make poor choices in The Reivers for reasons beyond their control, such as Non-virtue.