Post 1

Upload your group's analysis google doc and any other notes and annotations

Post 2

Raise 2 questions you'd like us to think about based on the group's understanding of the poem

Post 3

Any additional resources that you think is relevant to the poem and theme. This could be another text that you thought was similar or comparable to the poem or essays / perspectives about the poem or theme.

Would ‘being a sun’ mean to eradicate the existence of societal limitations or simply to subvert those expectations?

“We” shows that they are not alone, but a collective group of boys, showing that the boys are less rare than we might think, so they should not be considered oddities, and society should change the normalised perception of men. “We can” showing that boys can also be sensitive, a quality typically associated with femininity, meaning that the boys can do things girls can too.

Themes and ideas of boys being typically strong, organised, and cold. However, the Lit boys have more emotional and social strength, showing that the Lit boys are more observant and their minds are more fine-tuned and sensitive to emotions. They are also more open to expressing their emotions freely, contrasting with the typical idea of men in society. Society expects men to be calculative and emotionless, such as “wirings”, “algorithms”. Men are supposed to be stoic and monotonous, always precise. Highlights feelings of alienation, because the Lit boys do not fit into the stereotypes of masculinity set by society. 

The poem could also be seen as elitist, as the author seems to be going through a phase when he wants to seem different and special by putting others down instead. The poem also insinuated multiple times that stereotypical men are below them, just because they do not share the interests of Lit boys and connect with language as deeply as they do. The poem could have chosen to raise all types of men up instead, normalising the freedom of men to choose whatever they would do. He also seems to be putting down the idea of being a “nerd” or simply being queer, as he says “nerd” and “gay” as though they are bad terms. This could actually have the opposite fact, creating another stereotype of masculinity that could alienate boys who do not fit in with STEM boys, or Lit boys. 

Some men might find this poem offensive, as the ideas put across in their poem may not align with their ideals of masculinity, and the poem may seem as though it is putting them down for not being interested in Literature. On the other hand, men who are more secure in their masculinity and more open to different interpretations of what it is may be less offended, and they may enjoy the poem as it allows them to gain a better understanding of their more literature-inclined peers. Women may feel more neutral about this poem, but some who were raised in an environment dominated by toxic masculinity may be surprised by the message conveyed by the author, as men are typically expected to go into STEM-related fields to be considered “masculine”. Older generations may be more offended or confused by this poem, as it is less conventional for men to go into the humanities and arts, rather than STEM fields, and so older generations may not be as welcoming towards these changes than younger generations. Younger generations, being slightly more free of these pre-existing notions, may be more open to this poem and embrace the new ideas given. 

Questions for the class:

1. Is calling themselves Lit Boys unintentionally creating another stereotype of masculinity?

2. How may girls like us relate to the poem?

• The closing lines of the poem (we have always made light. / this planet with so many suns. / so many suns). What do they symbolise/refer to?

• Is there a way in which men can connect to this poem as well?

Part 2:

Are these stereotypes valid? 

How did society get these stereotypes?