Tin Man

At the heart of Tin Man is the struggle that many men face to overcome the barriers preventing them from being honest with their emotions to others. For Ellis, this struggle originates in childhood, learned from the treatment he receives from his father. As a child, Ellis is expressive and tries to demonstrate his affection for his father, only to feel “his father’s grip [tearing] into his arms and wrench[ing] them away […] [T]he pain of that memory stopped [Ellis from] reaching for him again” (29). This is a pivotal moment in Ellis’s life, when he is taught that men are not supposed to express emotion or affection, particularly toward other men. Leonard’s immediate rebuke of his young son sets a cruel, impossible boundary that complicates Ellis’s relationship with Michael later in life. While they often share intimate and loving moments in the safe confines of their rooms, Ellis’s earliest life lessons from Leonard prevent him from accepting Michael publicly or building a true romantic relationship.

While Ellis struggles to accept a life with Michael, Michael craves nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with Ellis. Michael loves Ellis, and with the primary influences of