Homosexuality In Baldwin's Varying Social Norm
Throughout Baldwin’s novel a reoccurring theme is contracting social norms. Besides the obvious homosexual desires that David faces he struggles to come to terms with his identity as a man. For most people, being a man encompasses many things, but after David experience with Joey he begins to feel shunned for his perception on the idea of men not because it is unnatural, but because it contradicts what society teaches him to believe. The way a man finds the curves of woman beautiful, David is fascinated by the mail body in this way. However, David is ashamed in his desires so much so that he relinquished his desire to feel anything towards men. David even makes up a story about being in a relationship. This behavior of rejecting himself applies as he matures into adulthood.
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Jacques wants David to talk to Giovanni while he talks to Guillaume. The theme of going against social norms is backwards in this situation considering that it takes place in a gay bar. Yet, David should feel out of place not because he is with a woman, but because he is in Paris in an unfamiliar environment. He tells Jacque that “He’ll think that I’m the one who’s lusting for his body.” Although he is in an environment where being or desiring homosexual tendencies is completely acceptable he is still recalling experiences from the past which haunt him and teach him to believe that society would look down on his desires for men. Despite what society now teaches what is current does not change the ways the past affected his perception on how others judge him. The idea that Jacque or Giovanni or anyone would accept David for his sexuality is a foreign concept to him and he does not know how to approach the idea of
Jacques wants David to talk to Giovanni while he talks to Guillaume. The theme of going against social norms is backwards in this situation considering that it takes place in a gay bar. Yet, David should feel out of place not because he is with a woman, but because he is in Paris in an unfamiliar environment. He tells Jacque that “He’ll think that I’m the one who’s lusting for his body.” Although he is in an environment where being or desiring homosexual tendencies is completely acceptable he is still recalling experiences from the past which haunt him and teach him to believe that society would look down on his desires for men. Despite what society now teaches what is current does not change the ways the past affected his perception on how others judge him. The idea that Jacque or Giovanni or anyone would accept David for his sexuality is a foreign concept to him and he does not know how to approach the idea of