Hegemonic Masculinity and National Identity in Twentieth-Century American War Literature: A Comparative Study of the Selected works by Hemingway, Mailer, and O’Brien

Abstract

This paper explores the construction and negotiation of hegemonic masculinity and national identity within the framework of twentieth-century American war literature, centering on Ernest Hemingway, Norman Mailer, and Tim O’Brien. Through a comparative textual analysis, the study scrutinizes how these novelists lucid masculine ideals and nationalistic discourses against the background of war’s physical and psychological trauma. By applying R.W. Connell’s theory of hegemonic masculinity and drawing on cultural studies, the paper reveals how literary depictions challenge, reinforce, or complicate dominant narratives about gender and nationhood. The findings suggest that while Hemingway emphasizes stoic, heroic masculinity linked to American imperial identity, Mailer critiques and problematizes this ideal through a raw, often violent portrayal of masculine bravado. O’Brien, writing in the post-Vietnam era, deconstructs traditional masculinity by highlighting vulnerability and moral ambiguity, thus reflecting a fractured national identity. This study contributes to the broader understanding of how war literature shapes and contests hegemonic masculinity and national belonging in American cultural memory.

Keywords: Hegemonic masculinity, national identity, American war literature, Ernest Hemingway, Norman Mailer, Tim O’Brien, R.W. Connell