Boys don’t cry

• "I love Emma too much to ruin her life."

  Melanie (chapter 6): Melanie is not ready to face motherhood yet and unable to cope with the absence of a strong family unit. Could also be argued that Melanie makes the best decision for Emma (as she may have been harmed) despite leaving her.

  OTHER: Family/Parenting, absence of matriarchs, Emma

  CONTEXT: links to gender roles and how they are reversed (single father instead)
• "God only knew what Josh said about me and other black people behind my back"


  Dante (chapter 38): First time we learn of Dante's race (could be authorial intent) and represents Josh and the type of person he is.

  OTHER: Race, Josh

  CONTEXT: Perhaps the topic of race is avoided because during this time race was not seen as a central part of someone's identity. Could also be because Blackman did not want the reader to judge Dante purely on his race.
• "...losing my temper and almost hitting my daughter..."


  Dante (chapter 47): Dante is disgusted with himself and realises that he cares so much for his daughter. This shows how he has psychologically and morally matured and the effect that Emma has on him as he stops himself.

  OTHER: Growing up, Emma, fatherhood
• "At least he hasn't done a runner like a lot of men do"


  Someone in the shop (chapter 23): Highlights Dante's growth and maturation. Dante is able to rise to the challenge of fatherhood and able to handle it.

  OTHER: Fatherhood, growing up, gender

  CONTEXT: Links to fatherhood and how in the 21st century nearly a quarter of families in the UK are single-parent families, however, 90% of these parents are women. This is subverted in the novel.
• "This is a phase you are going through and you'll grow out of it" and "So when d'you plan to grow out of yours?"

  Dante and Adam (chapter 13): Dante cannot accept that Adam is homosexual and when Adam replies it demonstrates how Adam has already psychologically matured but now faces the harsh realities of the external world.

  OTHER: Sexuality, psychological and moral maturation vs harsh realities of the world (two types of teenage hardship)

  CONTEXT: Despite the Legislation banning any kind of discrimination, some people in the UK are still unable to cope with others' sexuality and are still not accepting.
• "You'd give up your own flesh and blood because she's...inconvenient." and "I'll phone work and tell them I'll be late"


  Tyler (chapters 10 and 2): Tyler is taking the fatherly role and forcing Dante to take responsibility while he does himself.

  OTHER: Responsibility and masculinity

  CONTEXT: Gender roles in the 21st century depict men as me responsible, independent and strong whereas women are dependent and emotional. Tyler is a stereotypical male and is forcing these traits onto Dante.
• "Before Emma arrived, we've occupied the same house and that was about it."

  Dante about Emma (chapter 50): Emma is recognised as the catalyst for change in the Bridgeman family as she is the reason for Adam's acceptance and Dante's growth. She is also the reason that they don't just exist together but rely on one another for support and guidance.

  OTHER: Emma, lack of female role throughout the novel.
• "Don't look at me, it's not my baby"

  Colette (chapter 23): Colette demonstrates how she has not yet psychologically and morally matured and therefore unable to handle the idea of parenthood.

  OTHER: Growing up, parenthood

  CONTEXT: Unlike Dante, Colette represents the majority of teenagers in the UK as they have not yet undergone the process of maturation. This could also link to how gender stereotypes cause Colette to be defensive as women are typically seen differently.
• "Some get to walk away. Some don't"

  Jackie (chapter 26): Jackie is acting as the surrogate mother to Dante as she allows him to express emotion and his feminine side.

  OTHER: Gender stereotypes (subverted), Dante

  CONTEXT: Subverting gender stereotypes Dante is able to express positivity-prescribed female stereotypes also with male ones (that he learns from his father).
• "Why were most of Adam's closest friends girls?"

  Dante (chapter 22):

  OTHER: Sexuality, Adam

  CONTEXT: Despite the Legislation banning discrimination in terms of sexuality, Dante (along with others in the UK) still can't accept that Adam is not a stereotypical teenager - due to his sexuality but also due to the fact that he has already matured.
• "Its my business when its my tax money that's providing your child benefit and jobseeker's allowance"

  Woman in the shop (chapter 23): The comment reflects society's view on teenage parents and could be deemed as Dante's first encounter with the harsh realities of the external world (perhaps due to the fact that he has progressed in maturation).

  OTHER: Money

  CONTEXT: This shows society's view on teenage parents and how they do not like that their money is given to them - despite the hardships that they may have experienced.
• "He wants to keep his true self hidden away"

  Adam about Josh (chapter 33): Adam knows Josh is homosexual but also realises that Josh wants to keep it hidden and Adam can't accept a life like that.

  OTHER: Sexuality, Josh

  CONTEXT: This shows the different types of homosexuality displayed in the novel - one that is expressed and one that is internalised.
• "At least you're calling Emma her now instead of it"

  Melanie to Dante (chapter 5): Dante no longer refers to Emma as a thing highlighting how he is slowly accepting the news. This is the beginning of Emma's effect on Dante as he grows to love her as the novel progresses.

  OTHER: Growing up, maturation, Emma
• "You hate us Queers just as much as I do"

  Josh (chapter 41): Josh has just kissed Dante and says this but instead of creating the effect he wants, it actually just highlights Josh's hatred for himself and his sexuality.

  OTHER: Sexuality

  CONTEXT: Josh represents the difficulties still faced by some people in the 21st century when coming to terms with their sexuality (particularly those who prescribe to stereotypes of masculinity).
• "My family wouldn't have to scratch for every penny" - "Dusty", "dust", "grubby", "sticky", "fragile"


  Dante (chapter 1): Dante introduces his family's class and how they are susceptible to financial struggle - as they are a single-parent family of colour without a university education. The curtains being described as a lexical set of grime could reflect poverty

  OTHER: Money, class

  CONTEXT: Despite being one of the richest countries in the world, the UK has one of the highest levels of economic inequality in the developed world, with the richest 20% earning, on average, twelve times that of the poorest 20%. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
• "I don't hide what I am but my family don't exactly encourage me to be open about it either."

  Adam (chapter 14): The Bridgeman's know that Adam is gay but are not fully accepting or supportive in the way that Adam needs as he struggles to navigate it (through his experiences with Josh)

  OTHER: Sexuality

  CONTEXT: Again, this reflects the hostility that Adam and other homosexuals still receive despite living in the UK which is a developed, western country.
• "But I was looking way beyond that." and "Just a means to end"

  Dante (chapter 1): Highlights Dante's teenage-like mind and dreams as he is hopeful about the future. He does not yet realise he is about to find out about Emma.

  OTHER: Psychological maturation, growing up

  CONTEXT: This represents the youth in the UK and how they are only focused on themselves and have no experience with the real world. However, we will all experience it and no longer only have to worry about ourselves - just like Dante had to learn.
• "It never occurred to me that she might be pregnant" and "Mel must be on the pill or something"


  Dante (chapter 10): Emphasises Dante's clear immaturity as he does not even think about the fact that contraception is a shared responsibility and the use of the "must" highlights this even further.

  OTHER: Gender stereotypes, growing up

  CONTEXT: Represents double standards and how the immature part of the population place responsibility, like contraception, completely on women rather than the man.
• "Queer son-of-a-bitch"


  Josh (chapter 36): Josh is highlighting his inability to accept who he truly is and how he experiences internalised homophobia by projecting his fears onto others. Josh is unable to accept that he may feel the same way as Adam.

  OTHER: Sexuality

  CONTEXT: Highlights internalised homophobia that many people in the 2000s (maybe even before) experienced (internalised homophobia happens to gay, lesbian and bisexual people, and even heterosexuals, who have been taught that heterosexuality is the norm and "correct way to be")
• "It was exactly like when Mum used to hold me"


  Adam (chapter 45): Here, Adam captures how he feels (and possibly how Dante feels as well) about the fact that he has grown up without a maternal figure and how difficult he has found it.

  OTHER: Family, feminine traits.

  CONTEXT: The Bridgemans are not a nuclear family and the absence of a mother has an effect on Adam and Dante but Emma and Jackie do play that role at some points. Blackman highlights that families do not have to be nuclear in order to be effective - many families are not nuclear in modern society.
• What are the key context points in boys don’t cry

  Race, Sexuality, Education, Single parents,
• Family

  • Emotional issues such as loss of a parent
  • Conflict over sexuality
  • Financial difficulties faced by single parents
  • Importance of a strong family unit
  • Support from father and brother
  • Modern families don't have to be a traditional nuclear unit to be effective
  • Acceptance of non-traditional family members
• Fatherhood & Masculinity

  • Expectations that fathers are disciplinarians in families
  • Need for men to hide their feelings for fear of appearing weak
• Dante's father's tough undemonstrative approach

  Dante being filled with 'self-contempt'
• Masculinity in modern society

  • Inability to face one's own sexuality
• Females (Emma and Aunt Jackie)

  Help Dante and his father to express their feelings
• Race

  In the 1970s and 1980s, black people in Britain were the victims of racist violence perpetrated by far-right groups such as the National Front.   Racism in Britain in general, including against black people, is considered to have declined over time and any discrimination on the basis of race has been enshrined in British law as an offence since 1976.  However, incidents such as the Grenfell fire have brought to the forefront issues of poverty and inequality amongst BAME communities.
• Sexuality

  there has been a notable increase in the acceptance of homosexuality in the UK in recent years and the LGBTQ movement now holds regular Gay Pride events across the country.  Legislation during the latter part of the 20th and the early part of the 21st century made any kind of discrimination on the basis of sexuality illegal and in 2014 legislation was finally passed to allow same sex marriage.  However, Adam’s experiences with Josh reflect the difficulties still faced by some people when coming to terms with their sexuality.  
• There has been a continued rise in the number of young people going to university; in the 1960s it was 4%, now it is closer to 50%
• Young people now have to stay in education or further training until they are over 18
• A Levels are seen as the gateway to further education, rather than an end in themselves
• Black students historically perform worst at A Level, with the lowest percentage achievement of all ethnic groups
• Dante's university aspirations and grades are therefore unusual, particularly as he also comes from a single parent family and his father is not university educated
• Single parent families

  • More commonly accepted in the 21st century
  • Make up nearly a quarter of families with dependent children in the UK
  • 90% are women
• Dante's father-led single family is a modern representation of a family unit
• The unusual nature of Dante's single parent family is reflected in the initial incredulity with which his friends meet Dante's decision to look after Emma on his own
• Melanie's background reflects the issues facing single mothers, as she feels she has no role model to draw upon in order to raise her own daughter
• What are the themes of boys don’t cry

  Growing up, tolerance, fatherhood and family