Autobiography of My Dead Brother is filled with male characters who are uneasy about their masculinity. Jesse's dad bottles up his emotions, which leads to some pretty serious arguments with his family; Rise seems to equate violence and criminality with being a "real" man; and C.J. freaks out when another character questions his sexuality. The person who seems to be the most secure in his manliness is Jesse, who constantly corrects everyone else's faulty perceptions. He's sensitive and emotionally sophisticated, and he's not afraid to show it—at least most of the time.
Questions About Men and Masculinity
- Jesse's dad has a lot of ideas about what it means to be a manly man. Do you think Jesse's mom agrees with him? Explain your answer.
- Why do you think C.J. tells Jesse that he doesn't want to be a father?
- How do you think Rise has been impacted by his father's absence as he's grown up?
Chew on This
Jesse shows that men can establish their own definition of what it means to be a man—he's nothing like his father.
Autobiography of My Dead Brother is a scathing critique of old-fashioned ideas about gender roles.