Father and Son

A father’s role is often defined in opposition to the role of a mother. The father is expected to the bread-winner for the family and to be less expressive with emotions such as love and compassion. Without conforming to this definition of masculinity, males “feel the shame over feeling any sadness, despair or strong emotion other than anger, let alone expressing it and the resulting alienation” (New York Times) Masculine men make things happen as “men act, women appear” (Sturken and Cartwright 57). Women are taught to be submissive, emotionally explosive, and delicate. Men, however, must be the opposite. Society’s view of the proper role of a father further extends to alter the definition of masculinity. Masculinity in regards to fatherhood is then defined through a man’s monetary successes as well as the suppression of emotions. his photograph displays society’s views of masculinity as the underlying tones of color and positioning serve as symbols for an opposition to the mainstream ideas. The photograph displays the father and son taking action within a loving relationship clarifying the idea that masculinity can both include strength, love, and calmness.
Males are taught at a young age to be emotionally dispatched as it is unmanly for one to express emotions, even emotions such as love to one’s child. As the father gazes at his son, the space between the two males in the photograph however is emotionally charged. The father protecting and lovingly glances at his son, something rarely found in mainstream media when thinking about masculine images. This look demonstrates that this absence of emotional expression is not innate to men but rather something that they must be taught to constrain. The construction of the absence of emotions for men is due to the desire for men to provide for their families and to remain stoic.
A symbol of masculinity is shown through the colors of the photograph. Colors can be analyzed to demonstrate attitudes and values for gender. In this photograph, the color blue plays a prominent role and seems to envelope the scene with only some small smatterings of the complimentary whites and yellows. Western culture understands the different shades of blue to be gendered and to represent masculinity. Therefore, the blue tones convey a sense of power yet calmness as the father figure too demonstrates strength and restraint. Additionally, the color of the water reflects the sky and alludes to a calming sense. The male frames feature darkened colors which contrasts from the lighter blues, yellows, and white. This contrast allows the male figures to be the focus of the spectator as the issue of the definition of masculinity is brought to the forefront. The darkness represents the lack of emotional displays expected from a proper man. However, the contrast represents a resistance to this denial of emotions.
Additionally, the positioning of the figures becomes a sign of the emotional connection between father and son. The father appears closer to the forefront of the photograph in an effort to display age and prominence. The son however stands behind as a signal he is learning and observing from his father. The father displays his masculinity without being physically over-bearing and is still able to convey his love for his son.
The construct of masculinity is entirely social and relative to one’s culture. In order for myself to be able to view this picture as one that is masculine, I had to alter my definition of masculinity. To me, masculinity does not rely on muscles or monetary wealth but rather the success of emotional connection and responsibility to oneself, others, and one’s family. In order to positively affect society, it is important to alter the definition of masculinity. As the New York Times states, “Despite the emergence of the metrosexual and an increase in stay-at-home dads, tough-guy stereotypes die hard. As men continue to fall behind women in college, while outpacing them four to one

Commentary on Rachel Tanur's Works: Guatemalan Mother and Son

Titled “Guatemalan Mother and Son”, Rachel Tanur’s photography captures the life of a mother and her young child. The women proves a representation of womanhood and embodies the traditional, socialized duties of a women. Viewers are able to discern the symbols from the photograph by examining the dress, emotions, and relationship between mother and son. To a viewer from a Western culture, the clothing becomes a symbol of a culture that is separate from their own. The signs given by these clothes signify the economic status of the figures in the photo. Additionally, the emotions and relationship between mother and son signify the maternal role embodied by the women. The women lovingly and protectingly clutches her child emphasizing the job of the women to be domestic servant and childcare provider. Through semiology, the viewer is able to discern the cultural environment and role of the women. Tanur’s photograph serves as a symbol of the hardships faced by Guatemalan indigenous women. In Guatemala, indigenous women are considered to be the bottom of the social hierarchy. In accordance, indigenous women is “more likely than all her fellow citizens to be sick, illiterate, poor and overwhelmed by too many unplanned children. That’s if she’s not dead already” (Wulfhorts). These women are “discriminated against one, because [they] are poor, second, because we are indigenous and because [they] are women” (Wulfhorts). Additionally, Guatemala has one of the highest rates of infanticide and according to the United Nations, at least two women are killed each day (Wulfhorts). However, the assumption that this women is a helpless indigenous woman serves as more of a reflection of the Western culture and our automatic beliefs about those who seem to be different than us. As spectators, or “the subject position of the individual who looks”, we often jump to conclusions about the economic and social state of those found in photographs (Sturken and Cartwright 103). Traditional photographs of other cultures perpetuate stereotypes and furthers the idea of the other, a way “to describe self-consciousness as a component of the self-aware individual” which becomes a “vehicle through which the self is recognized” (Sturken and Cartwright 113). We are able to separate ourselves from the people that we see in these photos perhaps due to their dress or environment. We perceive these people in the photographs as being desperate for our help and these ideas prove detrimental as they perpetuate the white savior complex, or the idea that whites need to rescue other cultures. It is not innately our desires to salvage others, instead we are socialized into believing and fulfilling the idea of white savior complex. Accordingly, elementary-aged children in the United Kingdoms believe that 50-75% of the world’s children are malnourished although the figure is less than 2% (Alam). Additionally it has been reported that children believe only 10-20% of school-aged children attend school when the actual figure is nearly 90% (Alam). Education and advertisements further these assumptions and othering by presenting the West with pictures of “the other” as unsophisticated, helpless, and uneducated. These beliefs are only reinforced by the reiteration of facts such as the ones provided about the danger facing Guatemalan indigenous women. Therefore, it is important to not other those that are a part of our culture and necessary to check one’s assumptions when viewing a photograph. Tanur’s photograph does not paint a picture of extreme poverty, rather her work demonstrates the deep relational connection between mother and child. Alam, Shahidul. “The Visual Representation of Developing Countries by Development Agencies and the Western Media.” ZoneZero, 30 May 1934. Sturken, Marita and Lisa Cartwright. “Modernity: Spectatorship, The Gaze, and Power.” Practices of Looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 89-138 Wulfhorts, Ellen. “Indigenous and Female: Life at the Bottom in Guatemala.” Thompson Reuters, 2 May 2017. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-guatemala-women-indigenous/indigenous-and-female-life-at-the-bottom-in-guatemala-idUSKBN17Z07N.