Review
Written by a husband and wife team, this excellent book deals with the issues surrounding raising boys in a society that seems to offer young men only rigidly defined gender roles. Wooden and Gillam argue that in the postfeminist era, with the collapse of the traditional patriarchy, boys are given conflicting messages by the media–particularly, as discussed in this book, by Pixar animated cartoons. Jammed into roles of either supportive helpmates or macho superheroes, young boys often emulate the exaggerated heroics of Pixar's characters to become, in the words of the authors, 'relentlessly competitive, aggressive, violent and emotionally restricted,' unsure of how to construct themselves in a new social landscape. The authors demonstrate this in detailed readings of Pixar films that, for them, embrace a hypermasculine culture that is both unrealistic and damaging. The parents of two young boys, Wooden and Gillam worry that their sons are not getting the moral, emotional, or social guidance they need from pop culture, and here they argue for ways to counteract Pixar's limited role models. . . .[T]his is an impassioned and deeply felt book, well worth reading. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty and professionals. ― Choice Reviews
Pixar's Boy Stories is an important contribution to boyhood and childhood studies. . . .The authors find some interesting patterns in presenting stereotypical jocks and nerds, often overlooked by critics and the general public. The book is well-written and captivating. ― IRSCL: International Research Society for Children's Literature
About the Author
Shannon R. Wooden is professor of English at Missouri State University, where she teaches British literature, critical theory, disability studies, and literature and medicine.
Ken Gillam is Director of Composition at Missouri State University, where he teaches composition theory and writing pedagogy.
