Lack of change in attitudes towards men and sexuality

The topic of homosexuality has always been controversial – it is frowned upon by most people and was once considered an illness which may or may not be true, depending on the reader as the opinions vary depending on the person.

The amount of attention and concern Rivers give Sassoon can be easily interpreted as inappropriate as Rivers deliberately visits Sassoon last so he can spend more time with him before his inevitable discharge from Craiglockhart. Rivers was “aware of more going on in the conversation than he could identify”, which suggests that there is some sort of underlined meaning to the conversation that is going on and suggests that there is a lack of change in attitudes towards men and sexuality because the sensitive topic has to be implied as openly speaking of it can lead to unnecessary attention and consequences such as being forced to go on treatment to cure the ‘disease’. Although it may appear as though Rivers simply wishes to talk as a friend to Sassoon and spend time with him before Sassoon goes off to war and risk dying, the fact that there was more than the sum of the conversation implies that the topic is going to change to more sensitive areas.

These extracts represent a lack of change in attitudes towards men and sexuality when Sassoon tells Rivers about his friend, Robert, who has a friend who got caught soliciting near a school due to the fact that the topic of homosexuality did not come from personal experience, but rather from a friend’s friend which shows that the topic is sensitive enough that care must be taken to ensure that steps are taken to distance oneself from the topic should the need arise. Sassoon considers platonic fondness honourable, like most men would, and tells Rivers that Robert reacted with total shock and was devastated as it is likely that Robert deems himself a homosexual himself as he was fond of one even though not in the inappropriate manner. He is also shocked that “he didn’t see it”, which shows that people find homosexuality very distasteful, which represents the lack of change in attitudes. Sassoon describe Robert’s reaction to the news to “walking down a pleasant country road and suddenly a precipice opened as your feet”, which is appropriate as Robert didn’t even suspect his friend was a homosexual until he got arrested, much like walking down a country road, perfectly comfortable then the arrest and the truth is like the precipice opening, which would elicite a strong reaction of shock and perhaps even fear as he can be associated with his homosexual friend which might give people the wrong impression of the fear of people seeing him as they might presume that he was in a homosexual relationship with his friend, much like the fear of falling off the precipice.

Sassoon goes on to tell Rivers that Robert was “very anxious” to tell him that he has no “disgusting” homosexual feelings himself which shows that Robert is fearful of homosexual men and the association he has with it which represents a lack of change in attitudes towards men and sexuality where typically heterosexual men would want to distance themselves from homosexuality due to the fear of being associated with it as it might attract unwanted attention and a lack of partners. Although in the present, society is more accepting of homosexuals, the topic still has a stigma attached to it as well as homosexuals themselves, much like in the old days, but although in those days the situation would be approached much more differently. Sassoon also feels quite amused by Robert’s anxiety and by the news of his friend’s arrest. He compares it to feeling “like a precipice on a country road”, which would be eager for someone to fall in which suggests that Sassoon wants to express himself and yet has to proceed patiently and cautiously because Rivers may not reciprocate his advances which would lead to arrest and treatment.

On page 204, homosexuality is referred to as a condition that is “curable” and that it is only temporary – Robert’s friend was “sent to some psychiatrist or other” to be “cured”. In modern days it is now known that homosexuality cannot be cured but merely suppressed. It is also made known to the reader that homosexuality is punishable by prison as Rivers cautiously inform Sassoon that “it’s better to go to a psychiatrist than prison”. This is a lack of change as some countries today forbid the union of homosexuals and will prosecute them regardless of gender severely. Whilst there are more liberal countries, there are also conservative ones too in addition to religion like Christianity which forbids homosexuality. There is also a lack of change in attitudes towards men and sexuality in the military as punishments is made “crystal clear” for the “other kind” of love. An example of a modern military is intolerant of homosexuals is the United States Military, which give homosexual soldiers unhonourable discharges which led to “don’t ask, don’t tell” notion.

In conclusion, the lack of change in attitudes toward men and sexuality are represented in this extract by the use of underlined meanings and innuendo in conversations, the careful selection of words and the fear of being associated with homosexuality.