Two examples that display how Norman and Paul were “tough”.

The male characters are obsessed with the idea of manliness and with trying to determine who is manly and who is not based on their behavior and attitude. A character who is describes as being manly is Norman and this is in part because of his profession, marriage and his passion for fly-fishing. Paul as well is considered manly because he has a macho attitude and also likes to spend time in nature and catch fish. A person who despite everything is not considered as being manly is Neal who despite drinking and sleeping around, refuses to learn how to fish. This, in Norman’s and Paul’s opinion, is akin to refusing bluntly to be a man.