James Carson, from "The Story of One White Woman,"" and Jake Barnes, from The Sun Also Rises, fail to embody the traditional characteristics of masculinity. While James lacks honor and does not represent a protector, or a provider, Jake remains physically emasculated. Despite the seemingly impossible task of living up to traditional standards of masculinity "ideals such as honor, duty, and heterosexuality' "Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, and Sui Sin Far's "The Story of One White Woman who Married a Chinese,"" suggest that failed masculinity often results from being corrupted by society. Through masculine male characters such as Pedro Romero and Liu Kanghi, these stories reveal that often times, only outsiders to society actually possess masculinity. Ironically, the text suggests these males attain manhood by following their intuition and their heart instead of attempting to live up to the impossible ideals created by society.
In "The Story of One White Woman who Married a Chinese,"" James Carson constantly reinforces to Minnie, his wife, the "disgrace to be a woman and a mother- in order to uplift his own failed masculinity( Far 70 ). Minnie paying the "living expenses- just so James can publish his book illustrates James' failure to be the financial provider. (69). In other words, by replacing James as the financial provider' of the family, Minnie has inadvertently revealed his failed manhood. This passage also illustrates James' hypocrisy because although "woman suffrage was one of his particular hobbies,"" he fails to treat his own wife with equality, forcing her to work in order to pursue his own selfish goals(67). .
The two scenes which symbolically emasculate James epitomize his failed masculinity. In the first scene, James confesses his love for Miss Moran in a pathetic and "tired voice,"" saying, "I want to talk to you "to win your sympathy "your love-( 71 ).