What does a man of the 21st century look like? The media constantly bombards us with overtly cliched images of masculinity and the look and attitudes of a "typical bloke"." Modern representations of adult masculinity are the broad chested, tall and handsome males that the majority of young boys today strive to be just like. A perfect example of a man that fits these descriptions to the "T " is Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics major league baseball team from the 2011 film Moneyball directed by Bennett Miller. However, Beane's assistant, Peter Brand is practically the opposite. He is the stereotypical geek; short, insecure, overweight with thick glasses, Brand is to Beane what sugar is to salt. Could this be an accurate representation of what the modern man looks like? This essay will closely analyze Peter Brand's character and a number of scenes that are critical in helping to examine him. In addition, it will go over various techniques employed throughout the film, such as narrative, symbolic and technical elements that will help to identify the connection between Brand and his masculinity. .
There are certain narrative elements that are used during the film that position the audience to view Brand as the ostracized character, the one that everyone believes is different. The intriguing Brand character acts in a peculiar way. He is often quiet and unsure of his abilities. A fitting example when he is first brought into the meeting room with the experienced talent scouts and Beane states something and points to Brand, indicating that he wants an answer. Brand's body language highlights his overall importance in the Oakland A's, as he is usually hunched over or slouched in a chair. When the audience is first introduced to Brand they come to realize that he is the underdog and his dialogue helps to portray this as he often is hesitant to speak and when he does it is quite softly.