In The New Statesman, India Ross credited James Dean with creating modern masculinity. In 1955, Dean slicked backed his hair, smoked cigarettes, and raced cars. Sound familiar? (Source)
The T-Birds are basically all James Dean wannabes. Danny Zuko has the slicked back hair, the cigarettes, the racing skills, and the attitude. So Danny Zuko might have out-Deaned Dean…but Dean was a rebel without a cause.
When Danny gets a cause—named Sandy—it shakes up his masculine worldview.
Questions about Men and Masculinity
- What are the traditionally masculine attitudes depicted in Grease?
- Is Rizzo more masculine or more feminine?
- Do the T-Birds display any stereotypically feminine traits, or are they 100% masculine?
- Why do the T-Birds want to look masculine?
Chew on This
Take a peek at these thesis statements. Agree or disagree?
The T-Birds make themselves look macho by talking about sex non-stop, but they're all talk, no action.
The Pink Ladies are arguably more "masculine" because they are more sexual than the T-Birds are. They don't talk; they do.