The BB Guns In Gangsters

     Throughout the chapter Gangsters in Sag Harbor the entire "gang" becomes more or less intoxicated with the BB guns, and the whole chapter revolves around them and the eventual fight. There seems to be a number of reasons why Benji ultimately gets shot in the eye and why the guns are so appealing to them however, ihe first of which being American gun culture in general. I'm pretty sure this wasn't as much of a social issue in the 1980's as it is today but it feels like an important background factor for all of this. They all succumb to it too, even though Benji brushes it off at first thinking that guns were below them (pg. 151). On page 157 when he actually shoots one of them he admits that it was fun though the satisfaction was more from finding another way to spend their time.

    The constant use of gendered language in "Gangsters" also seems to contribute to their obsession with the BB guns. There's his reference to "the Man Isle" on page 173, which shows how they feel the need to use the guns to reaffirm their masculinity. There's also Bobby saying, "What are you, a pussy?" when Benji doesn't wan to hold the gun initially, which also shows how the guns are an important party of their identity (pg. 153). This isn't just limited to the guns though, as earlier in the book they also felt the need to call other people gay in order to reaffirm their own masculinity (pg. 44). This shows how important gender identity is to them and is part of the reasons why the guns are so appealing, since they're looking for every way to reassure themselves of it.

    The toxic masculinity that permeates this chapter isn't the only reason that the gun fight ends up with Benji getting shot, since there are also just several bad omens throughout the chapter that they probably should've noticed. It opens with Benji talking about how "All the ill shit went down on Thursdays," and of course the fight happens on a Thursday, though Ben already knew that in his narration. However there's also the fact that both Benji and Clive notice that it seems like Randy actually wants to hurt people. When they're trying to figure out how many times he should be allowed to pump the rifle by testing it on Marcus Randy keeps moving closer but no one says anything about it, and him shooting at NP when they go out with the guns earlier in the chapter (pg.179; 158). Ben notes how they were always fighting and that this was really just another manifestation of that, but it seems like this time they weren't really prepared for what could go wrong. The only one who even considered safety was Benji and when he suggested it before the fight everyone immediately refused. Maybe they should've seen it coming, but they were so obsessed with the guns that I understand why they overlooked the actual danger of it, and how everything ultimately went wrong.



Comments

  1. NathanielMay 23, 2023 at 10:31 PM

    I think that almost all the guys feel the pressure to "be a man" even if they don't want to. Ben, for example, was pressured out of wearing safety goggles, and I think it's probable that the guy with the grandpa (don't remember his name) got pressured into buying the gun that his grandparents did not want him to have. We don't get as in-depth of a view in the others' minds as we do Benji's, but their hesitation in certain scenarios still shows, like when Benji was shot and they want to help him, but they also want to save their own butts (protect their reputation/masculinity?).

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  2. HermogenesMay 25, 2023 at 2:16 PM

    I agree with your argument- I definitely agree that the combination of toxic masculinity (which could be more or less symbolized by guns) and American gun culture definitely lead to a deadly cocktail... I think one of the reasons as to why guns are so appealing to them is because they may feel the need to "prove themselves". Given their age and growth period, it could be very easy for them to feel helpless and when someone further insults your dignity and masculinity, you feel the urge to greatly engage in an activity that could "compensate"....

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