Catholicism and Male Dominance in Essay

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The bulk of the novel deals with his son, Paul, who now must step into the void of the family patriarchy that Geremio's death created. Paul's sacrifice is a less tangible manifestation of the same stereotypical role that causes Geremio's more literal martyrdom -- whatever dreams Paul may have had must be put on hold while he steps into the provider role of the family. Though not unique to Italian-Americans, this concept of patriarchal duty that Paul has is reinforced by Italian tradition and Catholic teaching about sufferance and self-sacrifice.

John Fante's Wait Until Spring, Bandini takes a somewhat lighter view of the conflict the ideas of Italian maleness and Catholic teachings can produce. In this coming-of-age story, the male protagonist is conflicted between the moral prohibitions of strict Catholicism and his desire for Rosa, a girl around his age. The role of the Italian male includes sexual desirability and prowess, yet this is in direct opposition to the teachings of fidelity and chastity imposed by the Catholic Church.

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Rather than combining forces to further grind down the protagonist as in Christ in Concrete, Fante presents his character with a choice between two stereotypes, presenting the more complex and yet still stereotypical image of the quintessential Italian male conflict.

Ralph Fasanella's paintings return to the idea of uniting both religion and the concept of the male patriarch and provider as the two most stereotypical and damaging aspects of being a male Italian-American. Iceman Crucified #4 clearly illustrates this symbolism; the large central figure is draped on a cross, with his left arm (on the viewer's right) curled up to hold an obviously heavy bucket of ice on his shoulder. He is surrounded by the bustle of an urban ethnic community and being enclosed by a pair of large ice hooks. Though proportionately huge, the central figure of this painting fits all too well into his role of the religion- and worked-crushed Italian-American….....

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