Introduction
Since the time of its publication, the book “Self-made Man” written by a famous American journalist Norah Vincent has always been a subject of heated debate. The question arises what is the reason for such close attention to this work of literature. The thing is that the author tried to conduct a very interesting almost unique experiment: she successfully disguised herself as a male and spent eighteen months in this image. We cannot say that the public was unanimous in the perception of “Self-made Man”. Some people, especially men were indignant at this “outrageous” joke because it seemed to them to be some kind of intrusion into their sanctity. Nevertheless, this novel should not be viewed as a criticism of men the author did not want to place emphasis on this particular aspect. Overall, it is quite possible to say that it was a brilliant attempt to put oneself into the position of the opposite sex.
Main body
Besides, it should be taken into consideration that Norah Vincents attempt is not entirely unique, because it has already been done before. For instance, Shakespearian actors always impersonated women on the stage, and as a rule, it was taken for granted, therefore it is quite possible for us to ask ourselves what is the cause of all this resentment.
Being disguised as a man whose name is Ned, Norah tries to look at this world through the eyes of the stronger sex. The author says” This wasn’t just a stunt. This was about learning. This is a human project. It was about finding something out about the human creature…. And I learned it the best possible way because I went through it”(Vincent, 7). It also should not be disregarded that the author herself is a lesbian and this throws new light on the book itself, because Norah Vincents attitude may seem to be prejudiced against men, however, the author tries to be as objective and impartial as possible, which is of the utmost importance.
It is very interesting to trace Neds or perhaps it would be better to say Norahs relationships with the members of her team. Norah is extremely afraid of being found out, it seems to her that she will be exposed after the first handshake. The author describes it in a very interesting fashion” It was more affectionate than any handshake I’d ever received from a strange woman. To me, woman-to-woman introductions often seem fake and cold, full of limp gentility” (Vincent, 31) It is interesting that at the very outset this very procedure seems to Norah a little bit pretentious, however at that moment she feels that it is nor just a fake ritual, which has entirely lost its meaning.
Another very interesting detail of this book is that the author emphasizes the importance of being authentic and earnest. She says that her relationships with the members of the team underwent a dramatic change after her exposure. It seems that these relationships became more intimate and close. Norah says, “how different a vibe we give off when we are being authentic and feeling safer and honest in our own skin vs. when we are faking it”(Vincent, 37).
Norah Vincent says that disguising herself, as a man was the only possible way to become a citizen of the so-called “Country of Men” It may be defined as a certain tour through this country. The main purpose of the author is to gain insights into male psychology especially those aspects, which are carefully hidden from women.
Very often Ned tries to interpret some peculiarities of the male behavior in his (her) way. For instance, she is occasionally wondering what is the for mens going to strip bars.
According to her version sex for a male person is some kind of urge, which cannot be suppressed due to the surplus of testosterone. She believes that in this regard there is a striking difference between the two sexes. It is also quite possible to say that visits to strip bars produce an almost repulsive impression on Norah. She says “I saw the men there. I saw the looks on their faces. This is not about appreciation of women, of course. It’s not about appreciation of their own sexuality. It’s about an urge and… that’s not always that pleasurable, really” (Vincent, 55).
It is remarkable that the author, who was impersonating a male, manage to go on about thirty dates. She describes it as a unique experience. Naturally, we cannot say that being a lesbian Norah Vincent has never been on a date with a woman, nevertheless, there is some distinctive feature before that she has not been compelled to pretend to be a man. It is interesting that the author also gains insights into woman psychology because she has to look at the weaker or perhaps it would be better to say fair sex from an entirely different perspective. Moreover, Norah adds that some of her deep-rooted stereotypes were broken. Especially as far as the womens evaluation of men is concerned. She says, “My prejudice was that the ideal man is a woman in a man’s body. And I learned, no, that’s really not. There are a lot of women out there who really want a manly man, and they want his stoicism”(Vincent, 61). Thus, she comes to know that the image of a vulnerable or to some extent soft man is not always suitable for women. At first glance, it may seem to us a little bit unusual to say the least but we should bear in mind that Norah Vincent is a lesbian, whose perception of the world is somewhat different from ours. Naturally, we cannot say that the author was entirely wrong in her belief. To be on the safe side, we can say that t all depends upon the situation, which sometimes can be quite unpredictable.
It is also interesting that Norah Vincent is also intent on getting into the sanctum of men, the cloister. The question arises of what attracted Norah to this place and how it differs from others. Probably it can be explained by the fact that the journalist wanted to explore mens psychology in a closed circle. On the whole, it is quite possible for us to say that she describes them as smart and pious people but Norah says that she noticed some “desperate need for male intimacy and the lack of ability to give it” at the retreat. It was “really painful. Although it is not explicitly stated but it seems that the author finds it almost inconceivable that men can do without women in society. It is also worth mentioning that monks seem to be to a certain degree hostile to the feminine side. If we give this matter some consideration, this phenomenon can be described, as some form of self-suggestion, or perhaps it would be more appropriate to say self-deception.
Norah Vincent also tried to explore the way in which men attempt to hide their weaknesses. Probably this is the reason for such indignation because no man would approve of a woman finding out his Achilles’ heel. It may sound a little bit strange but judging from Norahs experience in a man support group mens major weakness is the inability to give went to one’s feelings. For the overwhelming majority of people, the image of a male is often associated with strength, courage, and stoicism to cap it up with the so-called “stiff upper leap”. Everyone who breaks this stereotype is outlawed and subsequently outcast. Norah describes her impressions in the following way “A lot of this was blowing off steam….They would talk about fantasizing about chopping up their wives or something. It’s not that they would ever do that, but it was a way to get out the blackest thoughts (Vincent 319).”
Conclusion
At the very end of the novel, the author arrives at the conclusion that it is more convenient to be a woman because the fair sex is more emancipated especially in terms of emotional state.
Overall, we can say that “Self-made Man” by Norah Vincent is a thought-provoking book, which makes us look at the world from a new perspective.
Bibliography
Norah Vincent. “Self-made Man: One Woman’s Journey Into Manhood and Back Again”. Thomdike Pr, 2006.
Vincent Norah. “Getting a grip is all we can do” Los Angeles Times, 2007.