Emtionless Fathers

 “How to Fall in Love with Your Father” shifts the typical ideology of masculinity by exposing how fragile and the emotional difference that is enforced. With imagery, symbolism, and the use of metaphors in this poem it guides us with the writer's story and relationship with their father.  In a society where masculinity has often been related with dominance, the poem How to Fall in Love with Your Father illustrates what it means to be a man and a father. Through imagery, metaphor, and symbolism, the poem challenges traditional ideologies of masculinity and shapes the way for a more compassionate, and emotionally expressive picture of manhood. The poem’s use of imagery depicts an image of a father figure who is not a provider but a complex, emotionally centered individual. The author of this poem suggests that love and masculinity can coexist without the need for dominance. This refined image aligns with A Doll’s House, where Torvald embodies an emotionless man, a traditional masculinity that ultimately crumbles when faced with Nora’s self actualization. His incapability to express vulnerability shows him incapable of true connection, contrasting to the emotional depth the poem urges fathers to embrace. Such as when in the play he states “ I'd gladly work for you day and night, Nora—and take on pain and deprivation. But there's no one who gives up honor for love.”(Isben 147) Symbolizing in the poem further strengthens this reimagining of masculinity. Objects like a childhood toy, a dinner table, or even the act of repairing something broken may serve as metaphors for rebuilding relationships and redefining masculinity. This is reflected in The Barbie Movie, where Ken initially seeks validation through masculinity but later realizes that his worth is not contingent upon power over others. Just as the poem suggests falling in love with a father through a new understanding, Barbie suggests that men can image their identities beyond traditional power dynamics.