Split Masculinity in Glancy's Pushing the Bear

Abstract

The novel deals with cultural identification of Cherokee culture. Glancy makes it clear about the strange type of social structure. This culture posits female superiority both in family and society. It refers the matriarchal society, wherein maleness seems dominated and limited from authority and female are superior with decision making power. Those male characters are deprived from such power, so that they want to be separated from them and try to escape from the society. Even being the traditional society, it prioritizes to the female's presence in family and society. But it is not female awareness or empowerment whereas the Cherokee culture provides main role to the female. In this society, female are supposed to be heir of property and inheritance. So, this social system makes them superior. Because of this regret, masculinity seems to be split.