Longer Analysis of Michel Tremblay’s novel,

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Longer Analysis of Michel Tremblay’s
In most cases before a writer resolves to write and sharing their messages with their readers they tend to have encountered a life actuating factor that drives them to certain themes of concern. In a societal setting, there is exposure of people to different aspects of life that ends up commanding their ways of life. For instance, it is quite prevalent to have societies established by gender roles where every member has defined duties to meet according to their gender. Many communities have men assigned to heavy that needs a lot of energy input, whereas women do light duties. Therefore, any individual brought up in such a societal system they are more likely to adhere to the norms of the community. However, upon limited exposure to this commands as well as exposure to some powerful negative influence, some individuals would find themselves assume unexpected gender roles. In Michel Tremblay’s novel, The Heart Laid Bare there is the expression of a society that has been invaded with homosexuality as a way of life that to a given extent has found tolerance in the society. Jean-Marc, the central character in the novel, portrays the ways through which homosexuality manifests itself in the society as well as how the affair is embraced between the couples. Therefore, besides homosexuality manifesting as a result of parental upbringing, peer influence, environment and coercion, those involved encounter seclusion, regrets, and unfaithfulness as they strive to meet their femininity and masculinity interests.

It is to be understood that the parental upbringing dictates the future preferences of the children. The presence of all parents in the course of molding their child for the next life eventually determines who the child end up to become. In cases where there is a single parent concerned it increases the likelihood of the child missing out on some aspects of growth that were to be imparted by the absent parent. In the novel, Jean-Marc relates his evolution and character absorption from his mother in the presence of his father who was an alcoholic. Tremblay writes, “It was where my father, so often drunk, broke countless plates: my mother spent almost as much time crying there as cooking; I got some slaps on the wrist myself, because of marks that were less than satisfactory” (Kindle Location 314-316). The fact that Jean Marc’s father is always drunk leaves him only to learn from his mother about the ways of life. However, instead of acquiring the essential values that conform to the ideas of the society, Jean-Marc assumes a lot of feminisms from his mother. Therefore, the ending results strongly portray the reason for the presence of both active parents in nurturing their young ones.
Additionally, homosexuals in this society face a lot of peer influence. Growing up in a group of peers, there are higher chances that most of the decisions made will be done so as to conform to the panel of peers. Hence, regardless of some decisions being invalid, the desire to fulfill the friendship at the same time reduces the pressure people ends up lacking an alternative. Jean Marc’s features of gays are amplified with the presence of his lesbian friends who pressurizes him to ensure that he befriends Mathieu. They also blame him for the first-day experience, as they expected more intimate interactions than what Marc claimed to have done with Mathieu. Tremblay in his novel states, ““Did you sing Feu, feu, joli feu?” To which Marguerite, her lover, added contemptuously: “What’s wrong, Jean-Marc, have you lost your famous touch?”” (Kindle location 505). The incidence happens just after Marc had met with Mathieu for the second time to apologize for his previous actions. Even though, he was meeting him for apologies, the lesbian friends including Mêléne, his best friend, questions how he carried himself. In fact, they exaggerate knowingly what they expected from him, and in turn, Jean Marc’s expectations for the next meeting are amplified. It is through such influential incidences that one deepens their decision of staying as a homosexual regardless of some complicated relationship atmosphere. According to Tremblay considerations on how one comes out as a gay, peer influence is one of the primary initiating factors.
Furthermore, the environment in which one is nurtured through central dictates on their behavior. In most cases, people’s behavior is just a real reflection of their surroundings, as they are prone to assuming and adapting to their environment. Moreover, so as for an individual to find it secure in their environments, they prefer incorporating the environment’s demands into their lives, hence navigating with ease once they are exposed to such conditions. However, it is worrying for that society that does not encourage homosexuality, for a boy child to adopt feminism features or be attracted to their same gender. For instance, Jean-Marc reveals the environment under which he was brought up, which when given a deeper view it an accurate reflection of his adult behavior. “During family parties, at Christmas time, I always ended up there with the women while the men, the real ones, not delicate little flowers like me, sat and chewed the fat in the living room, around a bunch of bottles of Bols gin” (Tremblay Kindle location 312-313). The fact that Jean-Marc preferred women company over men’s company against their traditions, his current life preferences are as a result of unregulated early life choices. As a responsible parent, Marc’s mother or father were responsible for helping their son learn how to determine the right company that shapes up who they end up being. Furthermore, it is worth a question about what Sebastien will grow up to identify with in matters of gender when he is brought under the care of Jean-Marc, a man with female characteristics. In the long run, Sebastien will also find out the type of relationship his father, Mathieu, and Jean-Marc leads which in return will determine his choices in the future as he might be molded into homosexuality when he was straight.
In addition to that, coercion has been an influence for some individuals’ involvement in homosexuality. It is worth noting that not everybody changes from their straight way of life into being a gay or a lesbian at their will, some are influenced by coercive forces. When Jean-Marc questions his potential lover on how he got his way into homosexuality, yet he was straight and married to a woman, leaves him hard to explain but express some forced situations. As Tremblay wrote “Overnight everything changed, absolutely everything, without my wanting it! Can you understand?” (Kindle location 676). Mathieu explains how he ended up being a gay besides him being married. The coercive incidences could include experiences in life in most cases with the members of the opposite sex. For instance, Mathieu’s explanation relates to his experiences in marriage with Louise who led him into unstable expensive lifestyle rendering him bankrupt. Moreover, Jean-Marc details on his reason to join the company of Mêléne, primarily because of their hostility to men, and how they laughed them (Tremblay Kindle location 272-274). Nonetheless, their hostility could not be inherent but at least as a result of some encounters with hostile men. Consequently, their decision to turn into lesbianism would have been in the wake of some coercive influences.
Apart from that, societal members who are not straight in most cases exist at the brim of seclusion. Society will always embrace what they think is morally upright at the same time they will stand against what they feel it is immoral. However, under given circumstances, the members can tolerate what they find to be unwelcoming regarding morality. Many societies only consider intimate relationships between people of opposite sex as a legit form of relationship, with advocacy that any close relationship should be guided by a primary principle of continuing the generations by giving birth. Nevertheless, the relationships between people of the same sex are valued as a societal misconduct, and these individuals are treated with hostility in addition to seclusion. According to Tremblay’s expression, unlike other societal cases where people of different interests mix-ups evenly and freely, gays in this society had their bars, such as the La Cachette, in seclusion where they could meet to interact as well as find new lovers (Kindle location 52-63). Even though the conduct and tolerance of the homosexuals in this society seems to be under legal implications, the gays and lesbians do not get it over without a pinching eye from the straights. “Ghettos scare me: I prefer mixtures, even the most heterodox, to wall-to-wall homogenous crowds that shun diversity and reek of exclusivity” (Tremblay Kindle location 65-70). Despite Jean-Marc ability to adopting different environments, from those that are homogenous to those with a limited type of people, he still classifies the ghettos as scaring places. Based on Jean Marc’s view it is possible to deduce the extent of rejection and seclusion the homosexuals were exposed to in their society. He also later expresses that he was no longer “a pain in the ass” for his students anymore seemingly because they had adjusted to a tolerant level (Tremblay Kindle location 2236-2237). However, before these adjustments, there are likelihoods that they were treated with hostility from his students who were not in terms with his decision to get married to Mathieu.
Furthermore, Tremblay presents the homosexuals in this society with full of regrets resulting from their encounters. The experiences that the homosexuals in this society are exposed to make them regret their decision that they made about their relationship lives. Tremblay in his novel writes, “Furious with myself for the way I’d behaved, but at the same time feeling as if I’d escaped a possible danger. The years with Luc had marked me, I know that, his frustrations exasperated me, his bitterness sometimes made me cynical with him, but I’d never realized how hostile I felt towards actors” (Kindle location 249-251). Jean-Marc portrays some regrets of his previous decisions that ended up impacting on his future life. Once he realized that Mathieu was an actor too he was worried because of what he had encountered in a relationship with Luc who was an actor too. Jean-Marc understands that if he gets into a relationship with Mathieu a repeat of the past will reoccur where he will likely be deserted. On the contrary, Mathieu regrets his decision to stay straight to the extent of getting married to Louise which later exposes him to more adverse experiences as a family man. Mathieu believes that women have more demands in a straight relationship that as a husband he failed to meet even after going for loans. Instead, he ends up in debts that he has not settled yet as he develops a new relationship with Jean-Marc. The regrets presented in this novel portray the essence of people reaching an amicable understanding before they decide to get involved in a given relationship. However, Tremblay presents homosexuality as the best alternative to solving these regrets as long as one finds a faithful partner.
Additionally, just as the relationships between the straights, homosexuality also portrays unfaithfulness. In some cases, families have been forced to break due to unfaithful partners who decide to go for other relationships outside the wedlock. In the novel The Heart Laid Bare, Tremblay expresses his regrets of partnering with untrustworthy Luc who goes into other many ties. “They cruise you once, then they don’t even know you! I mean really, sometimes you feel like a used Kleenex” (Tremblay Kindle location 198-201). Jean-Marc in this context refers to Luc, his first lover, who was an actor. Luc deserted Jean-Marc as his lover what Marc refers to as an influence of being an actor. On his first encounter with Mathieu, Jean Marc’s hopes vanish once he realizes that Mathieu also takes part in acting fearing a similar experience with Luc leading to the unfruitful conversation (Tremblay Kindle location 233-237). Furthermore, the fact that Mathieu tells that he has already some experiences that he liked on his initiation into homosexuality merely identifies him with some of the unfaithful lovers. It is possible that at a given moment Mathieu has engaged in relationships with other lovers whom he broke up with. However, the duo builds a base for their relationship that they manage to handle their differences to establish a family with an adopted Mathieu’s son, Sebastien. Therefore, just like any other relationship concerning the straight couples, the perception that homosexuality does not encounter unfaithful lovers is not valid.
In his novel, The Heart Laid Bare, Michel Tremblay explores a theme of homosexuality in a community that has incurred its tolerance that seemingly could be due to legal demands. A society might value homosexuality a social misconduct, but according to Tremblay, those who choose to lead this kind of life need respect, as it is another normal way of life. Additionally, as he justifies the value for the gays and lesbians, Tremblay takes into sightseeing the causal agents for those who turn into such intimate relationships. According to his regards to homosexuality, influence by the environment under which one grows within, the peers they grow up with, and parental upbringing are key determinants of one making a choice of being a gay or a lesbian. In addition to that, as these individuals strive to meet their masculinity and femininity interests necessary for their relationships they face societal seclusion, regrets of their prior relationships, as well as encounter unfaithful lovers. Therefore, based on Tremblay’s novel and expression of homosexuality theme, people who choose to develop affection for individuals of the same sex should receive similar respect at the same embraced with dignity similar to those who wanted to stay straight.

Work Cited
Tremblay, Michel and Sheila Fischman. The Heart Laid Bare. 1st ed., Vancouver, Talonbooks, 2002,.