By , it was estimated that 3. Shunning the independent and isolated masculinity, Promise Keepers encourages men to reconnect with their families and build male-only social networks Heath, Within these small groups, men form close-knit relationships with other men, sharing details about their lives that they would normally not talk openly about, such as sexual improprieties, problems with the law, and difficulties with their families Bartowski, ; Heath, These group meetings and even the large rallies often create an environment where, as Bartowski and Heath explain, men openly weep, hug, and sometimes hold hands.

In addition to the male accountability groups, Promise Keepers members are taught to reclaim leadership of their families and recommit to their wives through sexual purity and monogamy. The recentering of the male in the family, church, and community reestablishes his patriarchal role. The apparent need on the part of the authors to constantly, hyperbolically, proclaim the manliness of their heroes might be read as a tacit acknowledgement of the insufficiency and fragility of traditional gender categories. Far from being inviolate, hegemonic masculinity is exposed as thoroughly unstable, troubled both from within and without.

However, despite the apparent fragility of hegemonic masculinity, it is capable of adapting to these softer and arguably feminine portrayals of masculinity in order to maintain its power and promote patriarchy both in the real world and in the media. Although Simpson argued that metrosexuals are often narcissistic pleasure seekers, they have molded many Western ideas about masculine appearance. Between and , males out numbered females in G- and PG-rated films 2. In their study of cartoons released between and , Thompson and Zerbinos found that female characters after began to exhibit more independence, competency, assertiveness, strength intelligence, responsibility, and helpfulness.

Additionally, female characters became more verbally aggressive and exhibited more leadership skills and ingenuity. Meanwhile, the female characters were shown to be less emotional, tentative, sensitive, and affectionate. Baker and Raney concluded the equanimity in gender portrayals is not due to more feminized male characters, but rather, it is due to more masculine female characters.

Of course, depending on sampling criteria, there are some minor aberrations between the results, but these are largely inconsequential. Yet despite the predominance of male characters in Disney films, most of the gender research has examined the representations of female characters. Miss Bianca works for the Rescue Aid Society, and she eagerly volunteers to rescue a young girl named Penny from the clutches of the evil Madame Medusa.

Another break from the classic and middle Disney era princesses is the way their bodies move. Whereas the earlier princesses moved with the grace of a ballerina Bell, , the Eisner Era princesses e. These characters also distanced themselves from the glamorized images of princesses in earlier Disney films. Her desire to escape the world of a princess and experience the outside world resulted in her disguising herself as a peasant and sneaking out of the palace into the city, which is where she first encounters Aladdin.

However, Disney princesses always displayed more feminine qualities than masculine ones, with the top five characteristics being affectionate, assertive, fearful, troublesome, and athletic. The researchers noted that assertiveness in the early Disney princess films was directed at animal characters, not other human characters. One of the modern Disney heroines who has perhaps been the subject of the most scrutiny for her gender portrayal is Pocahontas. Pocahontas is faced with two options: Ultimately, she chooses to remain with her tribe. Dundes said this self-denial of personal desires in order to care for other people could lead Pocahontas to depend on others for self-esteem and approval, thus taking on the quintessential passive female role.

Thus, Dundes posed the question: However, not all scholars agree that Pocahontas as a princess stuck in a lose-lose situation. Another character that received a mix of praise and criticism was Mulan. Both Pocahontas and Mulan took part in stereotypical masculine activities e.

Although the stereotypical characteristics of heroines in Disney films underwent dramatic changes over the decades, most Disney films still use body stereotypes to define the female characters. Bell described the three body images broken down by age: Wiersma and Towbin, Haddock, Zimmerman, Lund, and Tanner provide some of the most comprehensive studies that analyze both male and females.

Wiersma found male characters greatly outnumbered female characters, to Heroines were shown as young, attractive, thin, and shapely. The male heroes were all young, handsome, tall, with broad shoulders and narrow waists. These heroes with the exception of the boy who would not grow up, Peter Pan also have muscular arms and legs. Wiersma also found more female characters were seen performing in-home labor compared to men. Thirty-nine female characters performed some sort of household chore on screen; meanwhile, only six male characters did some sort of household chore.

The variety of in- home labor was also higher for women. Examples of their household chores included sweeping, knitting, and sewing to gathering food and water, putting children to bed, and throwing a birthday party. Men, on the other hand, were limited to only four tasks: Wiersma noted that the cooking and ironing were both performed by the butler in The Aristocats, and could be considered duties of his job, rather than in-home labor.

In examining out-of-home employment, Wiersma documented a wide variety of jobs for male characters. These included doctor, police officer, pirate, sheriff, governor, butler, lawyer, etc. Others held various positions of power. In terms of familial power, the number of male and female characters was nearly equal. Out of the five females displaying some sort of societal power, four of them were due to royal status. Wiersma also analyzed character traits that are usually stereotyped as feminine i. She found most characters fit these stereotypes; however, there were three exceptions.

In more recent Disney films, male characters were shown as dependent, and almost every male hero was romantic. Dependence was determined by the need to be rescued. Wiersma found that in 11 of the 16 films analyzed, male characters needed to be rescued—and some of them were rescued multiple times. Female characters performed many of these rescues. Heroines were also depicted as more independent, yet still exhibited dependence also. The data did support stereotypes for females as emotional, passive, and romantic and males as unemotional and aggressive.

Male characters in Disney movies have also begun to develop into more well-rounded, emotional, caring men. Though they received little screen time, these princes also exhibited very masculine traits England et al. However, they did display more feminine-coded characteristics.

The top five characteristics displayed by all of the Disney princes included showing emotion, being affectionate, physically strong, assertive, and athletic. Although the first two characteristics are traditionally considered feminine, it is logical for the princes to display these characteristics because of their romantic interests in the princesses. The two exceptions to this progression were the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and Shang in Mulan, whose top three characteristics were all masculine.

For the Beast, this included inspiring fear, being assertive, and wanting to explore. Additionally, England et al. Both John Smith and Shang were shown as physically strong, unemotional, assertive, athletic, and were depicted as leaders more than the rest of the princes England et al. By the end of the 20th century, the males in Disney films had developed their own distinct character traits and stereotypes. The root of his troubled masculinity is based on the external factor of his upbringing and societal expectations, rather than on inner personality traits. Thus, once men are able to acknowledge the parts of themselves that were once considered taboo e.

Trice and Holland concluded that Beauty and the Beast gave audiences unambiguous messages about masculinity: Gender in Pixar Films Although Disney has received most of the attention from gender researchers, Pixar has, for some reason, largely been ignored. As mentioned earlier, occasionally researchers include a few Pixar films in with Disney films for analysis, but very few studies examine Pixar alone.

There are only a handful of papers and theses addressing gender in Pixar films. Although a few recent books do incorporate some Pixar characters in their discussion of gender, none of those analyses have been comprehensive e. In this section, I will examine the limited scholarly literature available about gender construction in Pixar feature films. However, Decker insisted on an a priori, unchangeable design. Decker examined the male-to-female ratio, physical appearance, in-home and out-of-home labor, societal and familial power, and specific character traits.

Decker found that, although Pixar stuck to some sex-stereotyped trends, overall, a much more egalitarian views of gender are present in Pixar feature films. The first of those six is that males outnumbered females by a ration of 3: Seventy-one of the 99 characters coded in the project were male. Secondly, females were more likely than males to have eyelashes and slender or athletic builds. Additionally, females were shown to have more familial power than males.

Lastly, males were shown to be more defiant, while females were more romantic. The hypotheses that did not show a significant difference included the presence of lips, breasts, overweight and underweight body types, average and muscular builds, in-home and out- of-home labor, societal power, and character traits i. Decker said viewing Pixar films will present audiences with a variety of body images for both males and females.

It will also show male and female characters both engaging in a wide variety of out-of-home employment. In terms of in-home work, Pixar shows both males and females as responsible for household labor. Decker found both males and females are shown in positions of societal power; however, he noted that because female characters are so vastly outnumbered, audiences see far fewer females in authoritative roles.

Decker also noted that female characters continue to serve as a catalyst for male change, similar to Jeffords , critique of Belle and the Beast. However, unlike Jeffords, Decker found that these relationships are not always romantic. Decker cited the child-caregiver dyad of Boo and Sully in Monsters, Inc.

Gillam and Wooden were the first to examine the New Man model in Pixar films; however, they approached the films from a cultural studies perspective. These characters develop into New Men differently than Decker concluded. Decker noted that several of the male characters in Pixar films are changed due to the involvement of a female character. They change because of their love for a woman or feminized object.

Relatively few works have examined gender in specific Pixar films or characters. In a study of masculinity in the Toy Story trilogy, I conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of all three Toy Story films Finklea, While initially planning to focus on Woody and Buzz, I expanded my analysis to include supporting male roles, such as Mr. Potato Head, Rex, and Hamm. My results showed eight prominent themes about masculinity that carried across all three films: Neither Woody or Buzz are able to discuss their feelings about their insecurities until they have both suffered emasculation.

Despite being able to express a wide range of emotions, the ones most often seen are anger and frustration. Even after his New Man transformation, Woody is seen expressing emotions aggressively throughout the trilogy: Although the New Men in the Toy Story trilogy are sometimes seen acting in aggressive ways toward each other, they are also shown as willing to cooperate and work collectively with their fellow toys. Buzz, Slinky, Rex, Hamm, and Mr. Potato Head must work together to drive a truck to try and save Woody in Toy Story 2.

Additionally, I found males are seen as natural leaders e. Bravery and loyalty are shown throughout the trilogy when the toys face perilous circumstances either to rescue one of their own e. They toys are also shown acting selflessly, risking their own lives for the good of others. As will most mediated New Men, the males in the Toy Story trilogy express the desire to be loved and needed. Woody also explained to Bo Peep that he enjoys the one-on- one time he gets to spend with Andy at Cowboy Camp.

In the third film, the toys express a desire to be played with i. I also observed several characteristics about masculinity that are repeatedly praised by female characters in the trilogy Finklea, In Toy Story 3, we see that Mrs. Potato Head is clearly smitten with a green muscular-looking insect-like action figure at the daycare, asking to touch his muscles.

Potato Head is forced to use a cucumber as his body, instead of his normal plastic potato, Mrs. Potato head gushes that he has lost weight and become very tall. Another theme observed in the Toy Story trilogy is that male characters are not in control of their sexuality Finklea, Woody loses his composure when Bo Peep asks him if she should get someone else to watch her sheep for the night, implying that she and Woody would spend the night together.

Potato Head, Rex, and Hamm all ogle the Barbies playing in a toy store in the second film, prompting Mr. This theme is prominent in Toy Story 3 with the character of Ken. Throughout the film, Ken is ridiculed for his feminine dress and behavior. In a scene that plays during the closing credits, Woody is reading a letter sent from the toys at the daycare.

The letter is written in hot pink ink and covered in glittery stars and hearts. Lugo-Lugo and Bloodsworth-Lugo briefly address gender stereotypes in Pixar films, devoting two paragraphs to Woody and Mr. Their sweeping generalization has been criticized because of the limited evidence cited in their research see Finklea, Additionally, Brydon said Marlin does not engage with Nemo in the manner that other fathers are seen interacting with their children, which was primarily by roughhousing with them. Alternatively, Smith called Marlin a positive gender role model of a father who clearly loves his son and who is nurturing and caring.

WALL-E is another character that has received attention from gender researchers. Bernard and Long stated that because WALL-E and EVE are both robots, they lack any type of biological sex—they are truly blank slates upon which gender identities are constructed. The film does reverse some gender stereotypes by showing WALL-E as emotional, hopelessly romantic, and interested in holding hands, while EVE is seen as aggressive and unemotional Bernard, WALL-E is made up of disproportionate parts e. EVE, on the other hand, is sleeker and curvier, and her gleaming white body is well maintained Long, The study provides readers with a numeric overview, but it does not give us an in-depth examination of the data.

For that, researchers must turn to qualitative research. This is not to say that quantitative results are not valuable in understanding gender in Pixar films, but I believe that many of the measures for which Decker coded do not provide us with an accurate representation of gender in these films. This is largely due to the fact that many of the physical features studied are not applicable to anthropomorphized cars, robots, rats, and fish. How can a car have breasts, aside from any crude interpretation of headlights? How can a robot have an average or muscular build? Many of the physical qualities that human characters have simply do not translate to Pixar films that do not feature human characters.

The purpose of this research project is to examine the deeper meanings that can be read in Pixar films. Specifically, I want to examine how masculinity is constructed through the rhetorical choices shown in these films. Based on this reasoning, I ask the following research question: Males will be shown as naturally brave i.

Males will be unable to control their sexuality. Thus, the following research questions are related to their work: Do Pixar movies other than those previously studied by Gillam and Wooden feature New Man narratives? If so, how do those narratives compare with ones identified by Gillam and Wooden? Decker noted that female characters can act as catalysts for change in male characters, instead of homosocial relationships.

Do Pixar films other than those studied by Decker feature narratives of female characters catalyzing change in male characters? If so, how do those narratives compare with ones identified by Decker? How do the lessons about masculinities in female-inspired New Man narratives compare to narratives centered on male homosocial bonds?

If no New Man narrative or transformation occurs, how are male protagonists depicted? This study employed qualitative research methods to answer these research questions and test the hypotheses. In this chapter, I will detail the study sample and explicate the study design and methods used to collect and analyze data. I will also outline the validation strategies utilized throughout this project and clarify any researcher biases that I may bring to the project. Pixar has also been re-releasing the films e. This not only allows the public to enjoy the films on the big screen again and introduce them to a younger generation , but it also allows Pixar and Disney to reap the financial rewards of higher-priced 3D movie tickets.

Not only are the films re-released in theaters, they have now been re-released on Blu-ray and also in 3D Blu-ray. Therefore, I pooled qualitative techniques used by other researchers that enabled me to answer my research questions and test my hypotheses. Stake said case studies optimize our understanding of an issue or topic by answering scholarly research questions, which I outlined in the literature review. When examining individual themes of masculinity, characters were treated as separate cases. Creswell and Eisenhardt described the procedures for conducting a within case analysis, which entails writing detailed descriptions of each case.

These write-ups help researchers begin to manage vast quantities of data Eisenhardt, This method drove the data collection and analysis phases of this project. This strategy is also similar to how I discovered themes in my study of the Toy Story trilogy Finklea, ; however, I did not conduct a clear within case analysis before proceeding to the cross-case analysis. Data Collection and Analysis Creswell highlighted three points for data collection and analysis: During my study, I first wrote down what I remembered about the films from previous non-research related viewings.

This was done so that I would be able to look back at my initial ideas about the films during data analysis to see if my emerging themes were based on actual pieces of data or on my own preconceived notions. Multiple careful readings of the films allowed for detailed analyses of the texts. To achieve thick description, I took detailed notes while viewing the films. This resulted in 69 pages of single-spaced typed notes.

During subsequent viewings and rounds of analysis, handwritten comments and notes were written alongside the typed notes. All of these data were kept in a binder. Throughout the course of this study, each of the 13 films was viewed three times in their entirety. During the first viewings of the films analysis and interpretation began to take place. As Stake noted, there are no clear stages in many qualitative case studies.

Data analysis often overlaps with data collection. This malleable approach is useful because it allowed for the study design to be altered to explore changing circumstances throughout the analysis process. I made note of possible emerging themes and identified specific points of the films that may require further extensive analysis. I also noted any versions of the New Man narratives that were present. After each initial viewing, a case write-up for each film and character was completed see Appendices A and B. All write-ups included page numbers linking data back to the original notes taken while watching the films.

After all write-ups were finished, cross-case analysis was conducted to examine the general themes and make narrative comparisons among the films. Films and characters were grouped according to inclusion of themes related to individual characters and narrative structures. Characters could be grouped into multiple categories, depending on which themes they manifested. Films could also be placed into multiple narrative categories because multiple plotlines found within the films.

Throughout ongoing rounds of analysis, some themes were combined due to similarity. Of these methods, I used rich description as the first validation strategy. As mentioned previously, my data collection involved taking detailed notes during the viewings, describing the scenes and characters as descriptively as possible. Secondly, I clarified my researcher bias.

In order to add an extra layer of validity, I also adapted one of the validation strategies Towbin et al. My notes along with analysis memos documented the path that I took to reach my conclusions, thus creating audit trails that allow me to retrace the path I took to arrive at my conclusions. Therefore, it is imperative for researchers to understand how we impact our own results as we unavoidably leave our fingerprints on them.

In this section, I will identify my preconceptions, biases, and beliefs in order to make them aware to both the reader and myself. For me, this process will help me to identify more clearly how my own interpretive lenses influence my findings. One benefit of studying film is that the text does not react to my presence. I have grown up watching Pixar films, and I am admittedly a fan. As Bell et al. However, I believe my experiences in graduate school and with my own research have sharpened my critical and media literacy lenses, enabling me to study these films from a critical perspective.

Additionally, I believe my professional experience working in television news gave me first-hand experience with the understanding that messages seen in the media are constructed—which, as mentioned earlier, is also true for the film industry. Female masculinity researchers are outsiders looking in, whereas male masculinity researchers are insiders looking around. I also believe there is something to be said for masculinity research to be conducted by someone who is male.

Although it may be more difficult to study something to which we are so personally connected, we also have a unique perspective on the subject. While masculinity is by no means monolithic, with each man performing gender in a different way, our first hand experience being male should help us understand the topic. I am by no means saying that it is better for males to study masculinity and females study femininity. I believe the multiple perspectives provide us with a much broader understanding of masculinity. In fact, I invite anyone interested in masculinity to study it.

Each individual perspective highlights new aspects of masculinity. Analysis and conclusions found in this project result from my perspective. I am sure that some will disagree with some of my findings or chose to interpret things differently. Any text is polysemic.

That does not make differing viewpoints wrong. This project is simply my answer to the research questions. I hope others will ask the same questions because I want to see what their answers will be. The themes discussed in the chapter arose after careful analyses of the 13 films in the sample and represent dominant trends seen throughout all of the films. The repeated presence of these themes throughout the films work collectively to build a common framework in which masculinities function. These themes also help to differentiate between versions of masculinities that could be interpreted by audiences as good and bad or acceptable and unacceptable.

Ultimately, the themes that emerged show that protagonists are capable of changing into New Men, while antagonists tend to align themselves more closely with Old Man versions of masculinities, which are represented negatively. It is used to refer to all of the hundreds of people involved in the creation of these films, and is not meant to imply the themes or narratives are the ideas of any one person at Pixar.

In this chapter, I will explicate each of these themes and provide evidence from the texts to support their development. Repeatedly, male characters are shown taking part in teamwork in order to succeed and accomplish their goals. Learning the value of teamwork is also depicted as necessary for some male characters—typically those in alpha male roles e. Additionally, in order for teamwork to be viewed as good, the results of the teamwork must primarily benefit characters other than the protagonist. When characters engage in teamwork in order to seek personal gain, their plans often backfire, and they are depicted in a negative light.

The ability to work in a team is shown as an essential component to positive portrayals of masculinity. Together, the films convey the message that good men work together to help others. Lastly, whereas Pixar clearly promotes the idea that teamwork is a good thing, it also reinforces this theme by showing villains openly spurning the idea of teamwork and refusing to work with others. Their negative views toward teamwork—and subsequent lack of participation in it—often contribute to their defeat or demise. The primary function of teamwork is to allow male protagonists to achieve their goals.

As Gillam and Wooden observed, selflessness and cooperation are two of the hallmarks of the New Man narrative, and the alpha male characters they analyzed all had to learn the value of teamwork. This aligns with other portrayals of alpha male masculinity where men are typically seen as self-destructive loners, not needing or wanting the help of others Jeffords, Oh, that… The King continuing: You need to wise up and get yourself a good crew chief and a good team. In The Incredibles, Mr. Incredible also struggles with coming to terms with his own shortcomings, both as a superhero and as a family man.

Early in the film, Mr. Incredible insists on working by himself, telling Elastigirl that he does not need her help and then telling his want-to-be sidekick, Buddy Pine, that he works alone. Incredible voices his concerns about what he views as the ultimate failure for a man: As Jeffords outlined, the hard-bodied men in films from the s were focused on individual achievement at work.

Incredible focus on their careers and achieving work-related success. While McQueen is a successful racer and Mr. Incredible is seen as a revered superhero before they are both emasculated, their success comes with a high personal price. When asked which of his friends should receive complementary race tickets, McQueen cannot name a single friend.

Incredible is shown as distant and disconnected from both his wife and children. In each example of this theme, males are repeatedly shown as being incapable of achieving their goals without the help and talents of other characters. Teamwork must benefit others. Although teamwork is largely shown in a positive light, a few films provide examples where teamwork for the sake of personal gain backfires on the protagonists.

Whenever teamwork is for personal benefit, their relationships with their teammates suffer. This is not to say that male protagonists cannot benefit from teamwork, but the benefits they enjoy are tied to the betterment of someone else or a group. Remy may be controlling him, but ultimately, he is not the one who is cooking. Linguini chops the vegetables and stirs the pots; Remy simply serves as a puppet master, not a chef.

On the other hand, Linguini becomes smitten with the sole female member of the kitchen staff, Collette, and after he receives credit for the soup Remy made, this opens a door for him to spend more time with her as they cook together. However, Linguini does not really know how to cook. Although neither character is capable of achieving their goals, their partnership is imperfect because it is built on a foundation of falsehoods and deceit in the quest for personal benefit.

Eventually, they part ways because the teamwork was not a true partnership. Both characters are using each other as a means to an end, and because their motives are selfish, both are shown eventually losing what they desired. Carl reluctantly teams up with Russell in order to get his floating house to Paradise Falls. In this example, Carl clearly engages in teamwork for selfish reasons. Carl has not transformed into a New Man at this point, and this is evident because he is still firmly rooted in the past and does not seem capable of caring about the people he interacts with in the present.

It is not until Russell sets out by himself to rescue the bird that Carl sees his selfishness. He used Russell to get what he wanted, but he did not want to help Russell rescue Kevin. It is not until the two work together to free the exotic bird that their teamwork is mutually satisfying—and it is because the primary beneficiary of their teamwork is the bird, not themselves. In an early scene in The Incredibles, Mr. Incredible teams up with Frozone to engage in secret superhero work. When the two are nearly apprehended by the police, Elastigirl fears that Mr.

Her disapproval of Mr. As a husband and father, Mr. After Woody and Buzz find themselves lost at a gas station just days before Andy is moving to a new house, Woody reluctantly works with Buzz to find a way home. He only works with Buzz because he knows that he cannot return home without him because he would not be welcomed back after the toys realized that Woody intentionally tried to get rid of Buzz.

He only cares about returning his world to the way it was: While the previous examples outlined how engaging in teamwork for selfish reasons is clearly depicted as bad, other films provide examples of how teamwork for the benefit of others is shown in a positive light. These examples of teamwork show males working with other characters, which can be male or female, in order to benefit someone other than themselves. Flik expresses a deep desire to make a difference, and by volunteering to leave the island in search of warrior bugs to fight off the grasshoppers, he unwittingly teams up with a group of circus bugs.

Like other male protagonists, Flik is shown as being unable to be successful on his own when he initially tries to better the lives of the ants in the colony. His independent attempt to better the lives of those in the colony is seen when Flik is introduced to the audience as he is testing a harvesting contraption that would allow them to gather food more rapidly, thus alleviating some of the pressure on the ants to gather food quickly.

However, the ants are resistant to change, and Flik is ordered to abandon his machine and conform like the rest of the workers. Thus, even when Flik is shown having good intentions, unlike Woody and Mr. Incredible, he still requires teamwork to make his goals a reality. Brave also exemplifies this element of the teamwork theme. She recounts the tales of a great battle where the four clans united to fight their common enemy.

Merida reminds the men how each lord risked his life to help the others throughout the battle. The lords, who have been trying to one-up each other throughout the film through posturing and puffery, stop fighting and remember that they are actually friends. We see that despite acting as stereotypical Old Men for a majority of the film, most of their gruff personality was just for show. They already know how to function as New Men and have seen the benefits that the New Man model provides. Not only did their teamwork in the past result in saving their own lives, it ensured the survival of their clans, and as a result, the future of their people.

As a result, the cooperation of four men ultimately benefited thousands of people. This example not only codes teamwork as good, but essential to survival. Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 both include prominent themes of teamwork, showing characters engaging in cooperative work for the benefit of a single character e. Woody once risked his life to save me.

Here we see that Buzz is readily willing to accept help from the other toys, and he assumes that they are equally willing to assist. However, here Buzz is shown not thinking about his own safety or wellbeing. His intentions are selfless and depicted as noble and good because he is solely concerned with rescuing Woody. Several times Buzz expresses feelings about the group staying together. For instance, when Woody gives the toys a pep talk at the beginning of the film, where he guarantees that they will enjoy being put in the attic, Buzz questions him about it: You guarantee it, huh?

What else could I say? In the end, the toys must work as a cohesive unit to ensure that they will stay together, showing that teamwork is essential for the good of the team members. However, Lotso catches them, and they all end up in a garbage truck on its way to the landfill. Even when threatened with certain death in the landfill incinerator, the toys face their fate together. In those final moments, they still draw comfort from being together.


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This concept is presented in The Incredibles when Mr. The teamwork among family members also benefits the individuals because it allows Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl to reconnect as a couple, and their children are able to use their superhero powers that they have been forced to hide from the public. Dash, who struggles with wanting to use his super-speed, fulfills his desire to be fast and helps his family at the same time. As a result, Mr. Incredible becomes a more engaged father, and all of this results from the family working together and combining their unique abilities in order to succeed.

However, the plots of Finding Nemo and The Incredibles depict opposite ends of the spectrum for the effects of teamwork on family dynamics. Whereas The Incredibles depicts Mr. However, both films conclude with depictions of more balanced family dynamics. Incredible learns how to become more involved with his family, Marlin learns how to give Nemo some distance. These examples of teamwork show that not only do the fathers benefit from teamwork, but their families do as well.

As previously discussed, a lack of teamwork is shown as a character flaw for male protagonists, such as Lightning McQueen and Mr. Whereas protagonists overcome this character flaw and learn the value of working with others, antagonists are repeatedly shown not engaging in teamwork and spurning the idea of working alongside others.

Incredible during the opening scenes of the film. Before becoming Syndrome, a young Buddy Pine wants to work with Mr.

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Incredible as his sidekick, but he is rejected by his idol. It is this rejection by Mr. Incredible that causes Buddy to become Syndrome, who, although rejected because of the Old Man model of masculinity, views the New Man model as inferior. After years have passed in the film, Mr.

Syndrome detects the signal, which he believes is a distress call, and captures Mr. Clearly, Syndrome sees the possibility of a man needing to ask for help as negative and a sign of weakness. This is a stark contrast to his desire to be Mr. Other villains are also shown eschewing the notion of teamwork.

Chef Skinner from Ratatouille shouts orders at his subordinates and berates them rather than working alongside them. Villains often enjoy the patriarchal privileges of power and authority, which prevent them from forming close relationships with others. Here, Pixar aligns the villainous trait of spurning teamwork with being a bad man. These examples allow Pixar to construct an ongoing dichotomous relationship between the stereotypical Old Man version of masculinity, which is clearly coded as bad, and New Man masculinity, which is coded as good.

None of these are traits seen in the good depictions of males, who are classified as New Men. Whereas teamwork was previously discussed as having to benefit other characters, Pixar also clearly shows that not working with others has detrimental consequences. This only further strengthens the message that men should work with others, or face the consequences. Each is shown needing the talents and abilities of others, and often they are shown learning to accept the fact that they cannot be entirely self-sufficient.

Even if a character has the physical traits needed to successfully achieve his goals e. Although most films do not address the theme as directly as Cars or The Incredibles, all of them show male protagonists engaging in teamwork in some form or fashion in order to achieve their goals. Male protagonists must work with others to achieve their goals. Likewise, male characters who refuse to work with others are effectively punished, which can vary from simple embarrassment to death. Nearly all males exhibited bravery in some form and to various degrees, and that bravery is depicted as inherent and natural.

Bravery is also shown in both positive and negative lights. Bravery is normally depicted as an admirable character trait; however, there are examples where excessive bravery is depicted negatively. These instances are usually to heighten the drama or precipitate the plot. Similarly, in Towbin et al. The film Brave addresses the theme of bravery most pointedly.

Later when Fergus leads the lords on a hunt for the bear in the castle, none of the men show fear as they storm through the castle in search of the beast. They do not appear to think about their personal safety or the harm they could suffer. For these men, bravery is shown as completely natural.

The film also depicts it as a character trait instilled in men from childhood. Thus, from an early age boys practice how to be tough and aggressive in that type of situation. The film further portrays bravery as natural by showing it as an innate part of heterosexual attraction. The patriarchal society that requires Merida to choose a suitor depicts bravery as an admirable quality that females should value in a potential mate.

However, because Merida is a non-stereotypical female who exhibits great amounts of bravery of her own, she is not impressed by these stories of bravery, strength, and conquest, unlike some of the village girls later shown swooning over the suitors. For all of these characters, these acts appear to be natural. These characters are not coerced into these feats of bravery, so it must be inherent to their personalities. Bravery even manifests in very timid characters that the audience may not expect to act brave.

Most notably, Marlin in Finding Nemo exhibits extreme fear and trepidation in the early part of the film. Even in the opening scene when the barracuda appears outside their new home, Marlin tells Coral to hide with him inside. His initial reaction is one of cowardice, compared to his wife who bravely tries to protect their unhatched eggs.

However, when the diver takes Nemo, Marlin swims into the open water after him without hesitation. His parental instincts are the source of his bravery. He will do anything to save his only child. WALL-E also exhibits natural bravery, despite being shown as extremely timid. Later, while on the ship, WALL-E selflessly and courageously uses his body to stop a mechanical device from closing.

Thus, despite often being timid and shy, he is also capable of exhibiting bravery in the face of danger and the unknown. The bravery exhibited by male characters comes from either external, physical features or internal, emotional characteristics. Physical features are often brute strength or superiority, while emotional characteristics tend to manifest as caring for others. Characters possessing external sources of bravery tend to be alpha male characters. Incredible exemplifies this form of bravery, and he is often seen fearlessly chasing criminals and putting himself in danger.

Instead of bravery spawning from internal characteristics, Mr. His superior strength gives him the ability to fight villains without fear because he has the strength to defeat them. His confidence in his physical abilities is clearly the source of his bravery. He is brave because he believes he is an actual space ranger.

Although his bravery comes from the delusory belief that he is a highly-trained space ranger, it does not diminish his feats of bravery. His bravery comes from his belief that he is physically capable of flying. He also does not express any fear of Sid or his toys, while Woody literally trembles with fright at the thought of being dismembered. Repeatedly, Buzz believes he can defend himself with his physical abilities and his laser. Finn McMissile in Cars 2 is another character whose bravery appears rooted in his physical abilities and in his abundance of gadgets that allow him to engage in spy work, which requires bravery and skill.

He is highly motivated to get the job done, and does not form many close relationships, which is indicative of Old Man models of masculinity. Despite the belief that human children are highly toxic, Sulley enters the human world countless times to scare children, all the while believing that he is putting his life on the line. Conversely, many other male characters exhibit bravery because of internal characteristics. This is most often due to their emotional connections to others and the fact that they care deeply for other people. The males that express this type of bravery are often not shown as alpha males.

Marlin, as previously mentioned, is in no way depicted as an alpha male. He is not dominant or powerful, and his only apparent authority is in his role as a parent, which, as mentioned in Chapter 2, can be interpreted as distinctly feminine and motherly Brydon, Marlin lives in fear of losing Nemo, and after that fear becomes reality, Marlin exhibits tremendous bravery setting out across the ocean to find Nemo. Additionally, he exhibits bravery to rescue Dory from the jellyfish after they injure her. Not only is Marlin brave enough to reenter the smack of jellyfish, he endures physical harm and pain in order to save her.

Although it takes extraordinary circumstances for Marlin to exhibit bravery, that character trait is within him and is exhibited as a natural part of parenthood and being a friend.

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Not only does he stand up to Hopper when the gang first arrives, but Flik later volunteers to leave the island to recruit help to fight off the grasshopper gang. Negative portrayals of bravery. The theme of bravery is overwhelmingly presented in a positive light; however, there are a few instances where excessive bravery is depicted negatively.

For the protagonists, these excessive displays often result in heightened drama and the creation of a learning opportunity that proves beneficial for them. However, when an antagonist excessively displays bravery, it often is a contributing factor to their demise much like a lack of teamwork as discussed in the previous section , and Pixar appears to imply that antagonists are unworthy of a chance at redemption.

Fergus shows no fear toward the bear, which he believes killed his wife. As he is about to kill the bear, Merida fights him off with a sword. The two briefly engage in battle, until she can convince her father that the bear is actually the queen. During these moments, it is easy for audience members to root against him. Although audiences—at least adult audience members—can assume Fergus will not be successful in killing the bear, most no doubt want him to fail, and children may have been scared by the dramatic scene.

Although this display of excessive bravery is used to heighten the drama of the battle, it also paves the way for King Fergus to learn from and respect his daughter. Unlike antagonists, King Fergus must be given the chance to redeem himself from his wrong ways i. Ultimately, this learning opportunity leads to a stronger familial bond, once the queen is returned to human form.

Buzz Lightyear also exhibits excessive bravery in the original Toy Story when he tries to prove to himself that he is indeed a real space ranger. After seeing a television commercial that clearly tells him that his space ranger reality is nothing more than a marketing sales pitch, Buzz desperately searches for some way to validate his identity. The audience knows that Buzz is really a toy and that jumping from the railing will result in a long fall to the floor, but Buzz is so confident in his identity as a space ranger—and desperate for that identity to be true—that he does not notice the danger his is placing himself in.

Unlike Brave where audiences no doubt wanted King Fergus to fail in his efforts to kill the bear, Toy Story presents audiences with a situation where they would like to see a character succeed, but ultimately, they know he will fail. Thus, although both films contain scenes of excessive bravery, they are constructed to elicit conflicting emotional responses from the audience.

But both examples are viewed negatively because Fergus wants to unknowingly kill the queen and Buzz is doomed to fall and hurt himself. Charles Muntz, the villain from Up, also displays excessive bravery, which can be interpreted negatively in part because he is the villain , and it ultimately leads to his death. Even if he does not have a fear of heights, his actions, which continually put his life in danger, still require bravery.

Charles and Fergus show audiences that excessive bravery can manifest itself as extreme aggression, where both men are readily willing to take the life of another living being. Charles serves as a clear example that antagonists do not receive learning opportunities that their protagonist counterparts do. This allows Pixar to construct clearer messages about good and evil, in which good men are given opportunities to learn and grow from their mistakes, while bad men must be punished for their mistakes without having the opportunity to change.

However, most of the other villains meet much milder fates: Lotso gets tied to the grill of a dump truck; Skinner loses the restaurant he so badly wanted to own; Sir Miles Axlerod is publicly disgraced and presumably arrested; AUTO is deactivated; Mr. Waternoose is arrested and loses control of the company that was in his family for generations; Stinky Pete is given to a little girl who will no doubt ruin his mint condition. The only somewhat villainous character that is given to a chance at redemption is Anton Ego in Ratatouille. Although he is a foil for Linguini and the rest of the kitchen staff, his role in the narrative is to function as more of a tangential challenge that the staff must overcome than as a villain.

As a food critic, his review will not physically harm anyone, and he does not set Linguini up for failure. He simply issues him the difficult challenge of impressing him with his cooking, and there is hope that Ego can actually enjoy the food. This is in stark contrast to Skinner, who actively sets Linguini up for failure. Some characters are brave because of physical superiority and other external factors.

They are brave because they believe they have the physical abilities to be successful. However, many of the characters are not physically superior, and therefore their bravery is routed in internal qualities, such as emotional connections to others. All of these acts of bravery are shown as being natural for males. Moreover, they are primarily coded as good, and bravery is predominately portrayed as an admirable quality to have.

Also, whereas protagonists are given the chance to learn from the error of their ways, antagonists are routinely punished for their actions, with no chance at redemption. This allows for clearer distinctions between positive and negative portrayals of masculinities and concurrently sends a message that bad characters are undeserving of opportunities for redemption or are incapable of change. Sexual interest always manifests as heterosexual. Moreover, we see numerous examples of males who are unable to control their reactions to members of the opposite gender.

Functions of heterosexual relationships. Romantic relationships serve two main purposes throughout all Pixar films. WALL-E and Up are two films with plots strongly driven by romantic relationships, although the relationships are in contrasting phases, with one just beginning and the other ending. Carl is a man who does not have closure about the loss of his wife. He even keeps her memory alive by talking to her as if she were still there.

The plot of The Incredibles is largely driven by the relationship—or lack thereof— between Mr. Their marriage is strained, and Elastigirl worries about the state of their marriage. Her fears about Mr. Incredible possibly having an affair cause her to take a jet to find him, unknowingly with two of her children onboard.

Rather than using a male character to reinforce heteronormativity, Pixar uses a female character to actively promote adherence to patriarchal traditions. Although Merida bucks against the rules that patriarchy has placed on the culture and eventually is allowed to choose her own mate, the underlying assumption is still that she will eventually pick a male suitor and marry him. Even when she tries to revolt against patriarchy, Merida is still agreeing to conform to societal expectations; her defiant act only postpones the inevitable.

When that happens, Merida will have conformed to the role that patriarchy designated for her all along. He is sexually attracted to her, which makes his affection for Andy seem more paternal than romantic. Therefore, establishing these environments within heteronormative frameworks where there are characters that are clearly male and female functions as a schema that allows audiences to quickly make sense of who the characters are.

In their initial meeting, he seductively tells Sally that she can just stand there and let him look at her, clearly objectifying her as a sexual object for him to use for his own pleasure. Sulley is focused on safely returning Boo to the human world; Buzz, believing himself to be a real space ranger, is focused on saving the galaxy; and Remy is passionately pursuing his culinary ambitions. Aside from these three examples, it appears that Pixar routinely uses sexual desire as a method of further establishing normative gender portrayals.

Whereas the overwhelming majority of protagonists express some level of sexual attraction toward a female character, no antagonist is shown expressing romantic desires. They are shown desiring fame e. This rhetorical choice to continually show villainous characters not engaging in romantic relationships prevents the audience from seeing a side of the character that, if they were to be in love with someone, would imply that they are somehow lovable. The quandary of Ken in Toy Story 3. As a sexually ambiguous character, Ken is an aberration from the way that Pixar routinely constructs 2 An early draft of this analysis was presented at the Broadcast Education Association Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Embodying masculinity and femininity. Ken is first introduced to Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys after they have been accidentally donated to Sunnyside Daycare. He is also wearing a pale blue ascot around his neck. This example also provides additional support for Hypothesis 2.

Batman Begins: Why Do We Fall? So We Can Learn to Pick Ourselves Up

He is the embodiment of both masculinity and femininity. Certainly Lex Luthor had hoped to gain that title, but now that Lana saw the way Bruce's biceps pulled at the expensive shirt he was wearing, she saw that Lex was outclassed. She found herself wondering if he had a washboard stomach when Clark appeared. She blushed, feeling as if she had somehow betrayed her friendship with the Smallville youth by thinking such tasty thoughts. Chloe smiled, she saw how frustrated Lana had become and she enjoyed seeing her friend squirm a little bit.

The truth was that it seemed like every cute guy that Chloe started to become interested in was only interested in Lana. She didn't want to go through life living off of Lana's throw-aways. Good to see you, buddy! Clark and Bruce eyed each other and Lana could have sworn she smelled burning testosterone in the air. Clark held out his hand and Bruce took it.

They were easily the tallest people in the hallway, but Bruce had more muscle mass. It showed, too, and Clark found himself a little jealous. He ended up applying a little more power to handshake then he had intended. Bruce didn't seem to mind and returned equally what he had received. I understand you are quite the athlete, Clark. Nothing to write home about. The class bell interrupted the meeting and Clark looked to Lana to see if she was going to be joining him in getting to class.

She hesitated slightly and then Bruce excused himself, saying they would talk later. She agreed and turned to see a perplexed look on Clark's face. Chloe only laughed and left the two alone. Lex Luthor sat at his desk in his private study, looking over various financial statements and making notes about which companies to sell for not meeting projections.

The life of a businessman suited him because it made him feel powerful. Lex liked power because it meant that if anyone tried to hurt him, he could hurt them back. If anyone was kind to him, he could return that kindness a thousand fold. He supposed that was shy he stayed here in Smallville, away from the hustle and bustle of Metropolis.

He now had the reigns of his father's empire, but he preferred to surround himself with the honest opinions of his friends rather than the butt-kissing mutterings of the "Yes-Men" that his father had chosen to employ. Of course, he would eventually root them out as well, but Lex was still young and could afford to wait. The doors to the study opened and Clark Kent strolled through. Lex smiled at his best friend and put his paperwork down.

Clark wasn't interested in money and that gave him a certain power that Lex envied. No matter what, Clark could never be bought and so the only reason he could have for associating with Lex was friendship. Lex realized that his relationship with Clark was more important to him than so many other things.

Even if he lost all of his money and power tomorrow, Clark Kent would still be his friend. Clark put his book bag down and strolled over to Lex's desk. From the look on his face, Lex could guess what was on his friend's mind. Clark nodded and out his hands in his pockets. Lex laughed with surprise. One day, he and I will be competing against each other.

He doesn't have full control of his father's fortune just yet but I understand that his people have done a fine job in investing. Lex scratched his baldhead, the result of an explosion caused by a landing meteorite. He's got the best, I mean that, the very best financial planners working for him. You would not believe the amount of money they have made for him. He didn't bother to offer Clark any; he knew the younger man never touched alcohol.

Another reason to admire him. They say he slept with that actress from the video game movie…you know, the one with the girl with the big…". Was he seeing some sort of chink in the armor of the great Clark Kent? Clark rewarded him with a look that made Lex feel like he was overstating the obvious. Lex nodded and then slowly walked back to his chair. He usually only dates a girl until he gets what he wants and then dumps them.

He doesn't string them along and get their hopes up. Tears streamed down his face and Clark got the idea he was the butt of a joke. He wanted to get mad, but he knew that Lex would never do anything to intentionally harm him. The last person in the world Clark was sure would ever hurt him, besides his parents, was Lex Luthor. Bruce…I don't know what to tell you.

His parents were murdered when he was eight and he's been raised by his butler ever since. Lex wiped a tear from his eye. He gets just enough money to keep him happy and Bruce travels the world with his servant. Clark shook his head. He can't stay in any one place for very long. Nobody trusts a billionaire without a high school diploma.

Hell, Clark, Smallville was probably on the way to wherever he's going to next. He looked so innocent and Lex guessed that Bruce Wayne represented some sort of challenge to Clark's manhood. Bruce had the looks and the money and it looked as if he were going to get Lana as well. Certainly other boys had come along to lead Lana away from Clark, but Lex was always reassured when those relationships did not work out and the two friends seemed to be drawn even closer.

Maybe Clark saw things that way as well and that was why he played it so cool with Lana. Lex considered having a talk with Bruce, but figured that affairs of the heart were better left to fend for themselves. He didn't know how Clark would react to his meddling. Any other male at Smallville High would jump at the chance, meeting Lex's private helicopter with a case of condoms and a big smile. Lana sat across from Bruce, sipping plain black coffee, trying her best to seem as worldly as possible. Bruce had come into the coffee shop that Lana owned along with Lex Luthor, specifically to speak with her.

She had been surprised, but was happy for the opportunity to get to know the handsome stranger a little better. They spent almost an hour in small talk and Lana realized that Bruce was much deeper than she would have thought. His masculine charm had initially attracted her, but she now saw him for more than a pleasant face.

He seemed to know about everything, seen it all and then some, but he discussed it without the touch of ego one would expect.

“Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”

He had the million-dollar smile of a fashion model, one that was so different from the grin Clark would always give her. Clark's smile showed his innocence and it seemed that no matter how infuriated she would become with him, he could just smile and she would forget it all.

In a way, Clark was childlike in comparison to Bruce. Bruce's smile had no innocence, but was more like the wolf grinning at Little Red Riding Hood. He was hiding something but trying so hard to be nice. She felt some sort of connection between the two of them once she had started talking about the death of her parents so many years before. She knew about his parents, of course, the story was replayed every two years or so in People magazine, but she would have thought that he would be bitterer.

He said something that made her laugh and her chin went to her chest as she tried her best to regain her composure. When she looked up, she saw both Clark and Pete Ross walking in the front door. Again she had the feeling she was doing something wrong by being here with Bruce. She caught Clark's glance, but he turned away before any subtle emotions could be exchanged. Pete, on the other hand, gave her a wave, which she returned. Bruce, seeing the gesture, turned. Bruce considered that but decided it wasn't actually true. It was a nice thought, however; he couldn't imagine a place where everyone knew each other and that they weren't all out to get something.

Everyone here was an open book and that was what had made it so attractive to him. Deep in his heart, Bruce Wayne carried the awful burden of an oath he had no idea of how to fulfill. On his parent's graves he had sworn vengeance on all criminals, promising that the tragedy that had befallen him would never happen to anyone else if he could help it. Even though he didn't have the complete plan for his war on crime, he knew that it would require him to develop and all skills he could, mental and physical.

He had been hard at since the age of nine and would still be pursuing masters of their crafts if Alfred, his dearest friend and chaperone, hadn't call for a halt. You act like a computer, a damned infernal machine that you just dump information into," he had said only a month before when Bruce had finished an accelerated course in the Arabic language.

Do not look at me so, young sir, for I am putting my foot down. You will finish this academic year like a normal teenager or else I will have to seek employment elsewhere. That had thrown Bruce for a loop, but he wasn't willing to sacrifice his relationship with Alfred, because without him, Bruce would be forced to live with his uncle until he turned eighteen.

At least, that was what he told himself. Together, they had decided on Smallville because of its relative isolation but also because Bruce secretly hoped to torment Lex Luthor a little. He considered it practice for their eventual business conflicts. When he nodded she sighed. How do I describe Clark and I? She could see that Clark was doing his best to look like he was not paying any attention to her, which made it all the more obvious.

We are only having coffee," Lana said with an impish grin. Her smile was genuine, fresh and full of life. For too many years Bruce had watched people force smiles on their faces when he entered the room. They didn't care about him, only the money that he was waiting to inherit. He wanted a real friend, someone who didn't see him as a way to become important. Certainly Alfred counted, but he was also from another generation. Hell, he was from another country and their relationship was soured by the loss both of them felt. Thomas and Martha Wayne had meant just as much to him as they had Bruce.

The tragedy put a barrier between them that they both seemed perfectly content to keep in place. Bruce wondered how Lex did it. Whenever he ran into the man, he always had a smirk or smile on his face. Somewhere along the way, Lex was able to discuss the bad things associated with money and power, but he couldn't imagine with whom. Whoever that confidant was, they were partly responsible for Lex's sudden rise in the business world. His deals were beginning to overshadow even the best the senior Luthor had been able to make. He was quite aware of the rumors of his skirt chasing.

It lacks the flavor of Gotham. All I would like to do is catch a movie…dancing? Wayne and you won't get a goodnight kiss," she said as she stood up to clear away the coffee cups. He stood up as well, preparing to leave. He had to get in another hour of weightlifting before he started his homework. You know they say once Gotham gets a hold of you, it never lets go. She winked at him. Bruce chuckled and turned to get his coat when he saw Clark looking at him. He considered going up and asking him what the problem was, but realized that this wasn't Gotham City; people were more sensitive to things here.

That was what Alfred was trying to get across to him: Clark stared at him hard and Bruce got the distinct feeling that he was being looked at from the inside out. There was confusion in Clark's eyes and Bruce could well understand it, but he had asked if he and Lana were an item. They were not and so Bruce had fulfilled the requirements of chivalry. If Clark Kent couldn't appreciate a pretty girl, then Clark Kent deserved to sit and stew. Bruce walked by and nodded to Clark, who returned it quite by habit.

Bruce realized that Clark was angry and hurt and didn't know how to deal with it. He wore his emotions on his sleeve for the world to see. Was I ever that innocent he asked himself. Clark suddenly turned to his best friend. Clark thought about that for a second. He had been thinking about Lana and his emotions were running high.

He could tell from the dizziness he felt, but he had not let loose with his heat vision. That brightened his mood because it meant he was starting to develop some control. If he could learn to control that, he could control his other powers too. He wanted to just get up and walk over to Lana and tell her to stay away from Bruce. Bruce was bad news, he was sure. You didn't need super-powers to pick up the darkness that surrounded the other teen.

Clark wondered if that darkness was what attracted women to Bruce, like moths to a dark flame. He had always heard that girls liked so-called "bad boys" because they represented danger and adventure. Boys like Clark were the exact opposite.


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Clark was the guy you married. Clark walked through the weight room on his way to the showers, catching the basketball Pete tossed to him. He noticed that several guys and even a couple of girls were hanging around the room. That wasn't normal; usually only the football team was in here. Clark hardly ever lifted weights; too much work on the farm kept him trim. Pete had already headed to the locker room when Clark saw what had attracted everyone's attention.

Bruce Wayne was pushing the bar up again, his cord-like muscles sticking out, advertising their power. Clark had never guessed that Bruce was in such great shape and he suddenly found himself mentally comparing his own physique to Bruce's. Clark was certainly in shape, but Bruce was more like a small tank. He wasn't big like a body-builder; he was able to maintain what appeared to be a normal athletes form. Clark counted up the weight and was shocked.

He hadn't seen anyone except himself being able to lift so much and not be a professional. Clark also noted Bruce's chest hair and that truly made the farmer's son feel like a child. His ears picked up the snippets of conversation that were rippling through the other student's groups and he caught one in particular. He listened in as Chloe and Lana made detailed observations about Bruce's attributes. Another person would walk up and punch Bruce; in the world of teenagers, you didn't actually need a reason to be a jerk. Clark knew that would be wrong and the punishment he would receive from his father would be too much to bear.

Jonathan Kent expected better of his son. Bruce put up the weights and sat up. One of the members of the crowd threw him a towel and he accepted it wit gratitude. Some of the older boys began asking him about steroids and special diets, but Bruce replied that he had begun working out to battle obesity.

Clark wasn't fresh off of the pumpkin truck and he knew that was a blatant lie. You could be active like Clark to keep from getting heavy; Bruce Wayne worked out like a man on a mission. He smiled and shook his head. Too busy doing other things. All eyes turned to him, including Lana and Chloe and he desperately wished for the power to turn invisible. Bruce only smiled, accepting the verbal challenge.

Bruce wasn't just ripped, he was torn, thrashed and exploded. Clark had seen professional wrestlers with less abdominal muscle. You can understand why I wouldn't have time for things like football camp. You think that just because I have money that I don't need to concern myself with the despair of others.

It's easy for you to say that, it gives you reason to scorn me. Competition is what defines us. Clark knew he was talking about Lana, but he didn't know how Bruce could know how important she was too him. Did he know how he felt about Bruce as well? Suddenly he was embarrassed that he had not given Bruce the benefit of the doubt from the beginning. His mistake was now opened wide for all to inspect and he could see that from her look, Lana was not pleased with him. Clark started to shake his head, but Pete ignored him.

He was just trying to be a good friend. Pete was surmising that Clark's superior strength could overpower any who would challenge him. Bruce raised an eyebrow. Let's see…you know, a little competition. Clark wanted to walk away, in fact his mind was screaming for him to do so, but if he did, he would lose face.