Did you notice that Red Harvest is overrun with men? Yeah. Novel's lousy with 'em. Dinah Brand is the only major female character, and there are only three other women who make very minor appearances in the novel. Every other character is male, meaning that the ratio of women to men must be at least 1 to 5. The world of Red Harvest is definitely a man's world—and a violent one at that. There's male aggression, male rivalry, male competition, and any challenge to one's masculinity has to be met with equal aggression (and usually bloodshed).
Questions About Men and Masculinity
- Why is proving and defending one's masculinity so important in the society of Red Harvest?
- Does the Op have to use his masculinity to solve the case and perform his job?
- How do the female characters survive in this overly macho, testosterone-filled atmosphere of Personville?
- What does it even mean to be a man in Personville? To be a murderer?
Chew on This
The Op's gritty, masculine disposition is totally a front that he uses to keep other men from pushing him around.
If Personville wasn't controlled by power hungry men, there would be no crime or violence at all.