The Irony of Cole
Based on the author's societal construct, boys depict masculine nature, and they inherit that character from their fathers and culture. Therefore, boys are always considered superior, and they know that they are the dominant gender in everything. Ironically, Cole confesses that his girlfriend is smart, and more brilliant than he is. The author writes, "But Cole surprised me. He pulled up a picture on his phone of his girlfriend, whom he had dated for the past eighteen months, describing her proudly as a way smarter than him.”
Irony of masculinity
Ironically, men in society have been brainwashed by culture to use girls when measuring their masculinity. For instance, boys believe that they are more dominant when they have several girlfriends. The author writes, “Cole eventually found his people on the crew team, though it had not always been an easy fit. He recalled an incident two years prior when a senior was bragging in the locker room that he had convinced one of Cole’s female classmates – a young sophomore, Cole emphasized – that they were an item, then started hooking up with other girls behind her back.” Consequently, when a man brags that he has several girlfriends, he depicts his masculinity before others.
Definition of boys
Over the years, the author researched American cities interviewing boys about sex and girls. One common thing the author realized is that boys agreed that girls in this modern century are smarter than boys. Arguably, girls deserve their place in society. This research's finding is satirical because boys have been made to believe that girls are the weaker gender. The author says, "For two years, I talked to boys – dozens of boys – from cities and towns across America. Nearly all of them held relatively egalitarian views about girls, at least in the public sphere: they considered their female classmates to be smart and competent; entitled to their place on the sports field and in school leadership.”
The irony of 'manning up.'
Throughout the interviews, boys argue that they are told to man up by their family members because they are meant to be men. Ironically, when boys get problems that require counseling, they keep them to themselves because they are afraid of being told that they are weak. The author writes, “Rob, an eighteen-year-old from New Jersey in his freshman year at a North Carolina College, said that his father could tell him to man up if he was struggling in school or on the baseball field.” Rob continues to say, “That is why I never talk to anybody about any problems I am having.”
The irony of emotional support
According to the author's research findings, boys are considered the dominant and robust gender, and they inherit such traits from their fathers. Ironically, boys depend on their sisters and mothers for emotional support. The author writes, "girlfriends, mothers, and, in some cases, sisters were the most commonly cited confidants among boys I met, while it is wonderful to know they have someone to…”
