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Multiple Masculinities in “The Blame Game” and The Lonely Londoners
Introduction
Masculinity has never been a single, fixed concept. It changes with culture, race, and class, and as R. W. Connell (1995) argues, there are “many masculinities” that exist in relation to power and social hierarchy. Each form of masculinity defines how men express identity, authority, and emotion in different contexts. This essay explores how Connell’s theory applies to George Mpanga’s spoken word piece The Blame Game (2013) and the first chapter of Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners (1956). Both works challenge the traditional idea of masculinity by showing how men, especially black men, navigate power, vulnerability, and social expectation in a world that constantly defines them from the outside.
Connell’s Theory of Multiple Masculinities
R. W. Connell’s theory centres on the idea that there is no single, universal form of masculinity. Instead, she identifies different types , hegemonic, complicit, marginalised, and subordinate , that coexist and compete within society. Hegemonic masculinity refers to the culturally dominant form often associated with power, control, and heterosexuality. In contrast, marginalised masculinities are shaped by race or class disadvantage, while subordinate masculinities include those stigmatised by gender or sexual difference.
This framework helps explain how men in both Mpanga’s and Selvon’s works express manhood differently depending on their social position. Masculinity, in these texts, becomes less about domination and more about survival, identity, and emotion within unequal social systems.
Masculinity and Emotional Honesty in George Mpanga’s The Blame Game
George Mpanga, better known as George the Poet, presents masculinity through emotional complexity and accountability. The Blame Game focuses on love, heartbreak, and the emotional responsibilities within relationships. Mpanga rejects the idea that men must be emotionally detached to be strong. Instead, he argues that vulnerability is a sign of maturity and self-awareness.
The poem challenges the stereotype of black men as emotionally closed or hypermasculine. By using spoken word, Mpanga blends rhythm, reflection, and honesty, creating a space where masculinity includes empathy and introspection. Lines like “We both had demons but I couldn’t face mine” reveal a man confronting his flaws, acknowledging emotional damage rather than hiding it. This represents what Connell would call a move away from hegemonic masculinity towards a more complicit or reconstructed form , one where men redefine strength through emotional honesty rather than dominance.
Furthermore, The Blame Game engages with the social pressures placed on black men in Britain. The expectation to “be hard” or “keep control” often limits open emotional expression. Mpanga’s message reflects a broader cultural shift in black British art towards more complex depictions of male identity, where love, responsibility, and introspection are valued. Through this, Mpanga broadens what masculinity can mean in a modern context.
Masculinity and Migration in Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners
In The Lonely Londoners, Sam Selvon depicts West Indian immigrants in post-war London struggling to rebuild their lives while facing racism and alienation. The first chapter introduces Moses Aloetta, a Trinidadian man who helps new arrivals settle in London. Moses’s masculinity is shaped by both resilience and displacement. He represents a marginalised masculinity, formed in response to social exclusion rather than privilege.
Moses performs a type of masculinity rooted in survival and adaptation. He takes on the role of guide and elder for younger immigrants like Galahad, who arrive full of optimism. However, his sense of control is limited by systemic racism and economic struggle. The narrative shows how black masculinity in 1950s Britain is constantly under pressure , not because of moral weakness, but because of social and racial inequality.
Selvon’s use of dialect and humour adds depth to this portrayal. The Creole English gives voice to men who are often invisible in British society, showing how masculinity can be expressed through cultural identity and language. While these men joke and show confidence, there is also loneliness and frustration beneath their bravado. Their masculinity becomes a shield against discrimination , a performance that hides vulnerability. Connell’s theory helps us understand this as a marginalised masculinity shaped by structural power differences, yet still creative and adaptive in its own way.
Power, Vulnerability, and Race
Both Mpanga and Selvon show how race reshapes the experience of masculinity. In a white-dominated society, black men are often viewed through stereotypes of aggression, strength, or sexual power , forms of representation that limit their humanity. Connell’s framework reveals how black masculinities must constantly negotiate visibility and control.
In The Lonely Londoners, Moses’s masculinity is constrained by racism, poverty, and isolation. His strength lies in persistence and solidarity rather than dominance. Similarly, Mpanga’s The Blame Game explores inner emotional power , a masculinity defined by reflection rather than performance. Both texts resist the colonial and patriarchal idea that being a man means being in control. Instead, they reveal masculinity as something fluid, relational, and deeply human.
This contrast between external pressure and internal experience is central to both works. Selvon’s men act strong to survive, while Mpanga’s speaker shows that admitting weakness can be a different kind of strength. Together, they demonstrate that masculinity is not a fixed state but an ongoing negotiation shaped by culture, history, and emotion.
