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Main
Entry: southern gentleman
Pronunciation: \ sŭth′ərn ˈjen(t)lmən\
Function: noun
1 : a male who
embodies the superb manners, chivalry, and honor regarded as typical of
the upper echelon of the South
If you missed last month’s
introduction to this Southern Stereotypes series, click here.
For the next four months, I’ll feature positive and negative
stereotypes of both females and males. To start off, let’s consider the
Southern Gentleman, a positive trope depicting males who hail from the
Southern states.
A mental picture of Rhett Butler
should have just entered your head. Atticus Finch in To Kill
A Mockingbird. Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken
fame. Big Daddy La Bouff from The Princess and the Frog.
Mark Twain (even though he was born in “border state” Missouri).
Vampire Bill Compton from True Blood.
The Southern Gentleman has
money, either because they
climbed their way up the ladder or inherited old money. They could
still be a Southern Gentleman and work as a barista. Doesn’t
matter…they are financially secure and definitely live within their
means. They are polite (standing when a lady enters or leaves and
saying “yes, ma’am” to any female, not matter their age) and chivalrous
(carrying groceries, opening doors, etc.).
They keep their
word, value tradition, love their mommas, fight for a woman’s honor or
a friend in need, and don’t kiss and tell. They understand courtship
and don’t shy away from romance. The Southern Gentleman is comfortable
ballroom dancing or barhopping, and they do so with an understated
man’s man type of self-assuredness. They have a style of dress that’s
confident and coordinated, and grooming that’s neat and hygienic.
Creative: You
could try playing around with a
Southern Gentleman who falls on hard times. It’s been written before,
sure, but the tension created in not having the means to dress the way
they want, or to court a lady as they think proper would be interesting
to write. Or you could try to give a Southern Gentleman depression,
which messes with his motivation to look good and smell nice and dress
well. The identity of a Southern Gent is wrapped up in the trappings of
one, so systematically either removing or altering the trappings gives
you a lot to work with.
Creative: I
mentioned Rhett
Butler, because he basically defines this trope. But he was also a rake
and a scoundrel. He had a “most terrible reputation,” which included
being expelled from West Point and having parents who won’t speak to
him. And clearly he was involved in some dastardly business with “the
girl he didn’t marry.” He showed a disdain for the strict societal
rules of the Deep South (i.e., dancing with Scarlett when she was in
deep mourning) but he was the same man who showed compassion for
children and for a slave (i.e., giving Scarlett’s maid, Mammy, a red
petticoat). The takeaway here is that you can have a Southern Gentlemen
who actually isn’t gentlemanly at all. But isn’t it odd that we still
picture Rhett as the ideal for this stereotype? Rules are made to be
broken, apparently.
There is a subtype of The
Southern
Gentleman that bears mentioning, and the only real difference is how
much money they make a year.
The Good Ol’ Boy
Gool Ol’ Boy, also called a Bubba, both are onomatopoeia. Spoken in a
true Southern accent, they sound more like “good owl boy-ee” and
“buh-bah,” respectively. Both are indicative of the casual, deliberate
nature of those who assume these names. They embody the unsophisticated
good fellowship and boisterous sociability found in southern males.
We
all could probably list some Good Ol’ Boys off the top of our heads.
Hank Hill, who sells propone and propane accessories. Most all the male
characters from Sweet Home Alabama. Andy Griffith.
Bo and Luke Duke from The Dukes of Hazzard.
These are guys who have some of the exact same values as Southern
Gentlemen, but just don’t have the financial means they do. They live
more moderate lives, which are more informal and relaxed, but are
definitely fun loving guys who like to be challenged and express their
virility. They usually are unpretentious and see the world simply, but
they have a strong will and personal code of honor they take very
seriously. They may swing more toward intolerance than the Southern
Gent, but they are nowhere near the level of the Redneck. To others,
they often appear less intelligent, but again, not to the extent of the
Redneck.
Creative: Since Good
Ol’ Boys like wearing
everyday blue jeans to the Southern Gentleman’s pale blue seersucker,
try taking them out of their downhome and comfy surroundings and put
them out of their element. Pair ‘em with a highfalutin girl. Or make
them get a job at a country club when they’d rather be pulling shots at
the bowling alley.
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