How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #7
"They were no longer young men with all of it before them. Jack had filled out through the shoulders and hams, Ennis stayed as lean as a clothes-pole, stepped around in worn boots, jeans and shirts summer and winter, added a canvas coat in cold weather." (94)
Proulx comes back to the physical descriptions to show us how his heroes are aging… and how they stay masculine at the same time. It's less visceral than her initial descriptions, but still lets us sense who they are as men.
Quote #8
The old man sat silent, his hands folded on the plastic tablecloth, staring at Ennis with an angry, knowing expression. Ennis recognized in him a not uncommon type with the hard need to be the stud duck in the pond. (137)
The dark side of masculinity pops up with Jack's dad. He's gotta be top dog and pushes Ennis to get what he wants despite Jack's wishes being clear. Funny how that kind of attitude always comes with a side order of anger.
Quote #9
Jack was dick-clipped and the old man was not; it bothered the son who had discovered the anatomical disconformity during a hard scene. (143)
Well that about says it all, doesn't it? Suffice it to say that dealing with the shape of your penis when you have a dad like Jack's is not apt to heighten your self-esteem.