About Men by Gretel Ehrlich

1. Ehrlich’s purpose is to juxtapose the stereotypical view cowboys with the reality of who they are. Her goal is to break down the viewpoint that cowboys are all tough, danger-seeking, “manly” men and to redefine what it means to be “manly,” particularly for cowboys. Rather than the typical idea of them, the author strives to provide an accurate description of cowboys, painting them as soft, “nurturing,” isolated, and caring men with a selfless core. Ehrlich uses examples of cowboys she had befriended to provide evidence for her view that the popular idea of cowboys portrayed by the media is misguided and not the entire truth. Essentially, About Men is a commentary on society’s view of cowboys and men as a whole.

 

2. In her commentary, Ehrlich employs the rhetorical strategy of diction in order to prove her point. Ehrlich uses words like “perverted,” “disesteemed,” and the phrase “iconic myth” convey that the true character of cowboys is being warped and ruined. The connotations of such words imply that the media’s concept of the cowboy is simply an imaginary invention; the cowboy they portray does not exist to the author. Instead, Ehrlich hopes to persuade her audience that cowboys are something entirely different through words like “soft,” “nurturers,” and “maternalism.” The author’s diction advances her argument that cowboys are actually not as “macho” at their core, but instead are loving caretakers. Thus, Ehrlich’s diction dispelled the popular view of cowboys and “manliness.”

 

3. Yes, I agree with Ehrlich’s point in the essay, because stereotypes are everywhere in our society, at both an individual and widespread level. People naturally have preconceptions of others due to their upbringing or what they have been told by society & the media. Also, the media often stretches or warps the truth about who people actually are. For example, guys who work out all the time, like country, and drive trucks are often seen as tough and not emotional, like the cowboys Ehrlich describes. My brother is like this, but he breaks away from society’s view of that type of person when he gets sucked into The Bachelorette or chooses to watch Moana. There are other stereotypes in our world that can actually be dangerous, such as those based on race, gender, occupation, upbringing, and more, but this was the first one that came up in my mind.