Hands

Torrey Maldonado’s Hands illustrates the various ways in which cultural ideals of masculinity can perpetuate cycles of domestic violence. The novel depicts a social environment in which manhood is often equated with physical dominance, a concept that sociologists sometimes refer to as “hegemonic masculinity.” This term denotes the socially dominant ideal of manhood in a given society, or the version of manhood that is most often rewarded and normalized. The specific traits associated with hegemonic masculinity, especially in Western societies, have changed over time but often include elements such as emotional toughness, physical strength or violence, authority, and self-reliance. Black masculinity contains these elements of hegemonic masculinity and is complicated by the historical and current impacts of racism and white supremacy (“African American Culture: Black Masculinity.” Atlanta University Center). In the most extreme cases, the criteria for hegemonic masculinity can create a set of expectations for male behavior that give rise to the phenomenon of “toxic masculinity,” which “imposes rigid and unrealistic standards of what it means to be a man,” often “reinforc[ing] traits like aggression, emotional suppression, and hypersexuality while discouraging vulnerability or any deviation from traditional gender norms” (Azzam, Yassir. “The Price of Masculinity: Toxic Masculinity in Today’s Society.” The Brooklyn College Vanguard, 26 Feb. 2025).

The pressure to conform to hegemonic masculinity is embodied by Trevor’s stepfather, who turns to violence after he cannot “win with words” (5), embracing behavior that reflects the destructive pattern of using aggression to assert control. This dynamic deliberately mirrors real-world crises. According to a national telephone survey, one in 15 children in the US is exposed to intimate partner violence during a single year (“Intimate Partner Violence and Childhood Trauma.” National Child Traumatic Stress Network). In the wake of experiencing this trauma for himself, Trevor only manages to feel “less helpless” and “less scared” when he emulates powerful male figures from pop culture (7). For example, he channels boxers like Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson, striving to feel “[l]ike the superheroes [he] used to draw” (8). These icons provide Trevor with a tangible script for reclaiming a sense of power, but his efforts are heavily reliant on glorifying the use of physical force. As the plot progresses, the author critiques this narrow definition of strength by dramatizing Trevor’s conflicting desires to use his hands to fight and to create art. Throughout the protagonist’s journey, Maldonado examines the factors that cause young men to embrace the harmful social expectation to be aggressive, and the influence of Trevor’s various male mentors suggests that cultural narratives can offer both problematic and positive models for masculinity.