Masculinity, Sexuality, and Homophobia Theme Analysis

Although there are female characters in the novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings is largely populated by men and is centrally concerned with the theme of masculinity. Where stereotypes about black Caribbean men (and gangsters in particular) indicate that their masculinity is defined by aggressive, promiscuous heterosexuality, the novel challenges such assumptions by featuring, instead, a much more complex and nuanced depiction of maleness and male sexuality. Some of the most mercilessly violent characters in the novel, such as Weeper, are also gay, and descriptions of Weeper’s desire for other men shows that masculinity and homosexuality can operate simultaneously, rather than necessarily opposing one another. At the same time, the novel shows how male characters are forced to suppress feelings and desires that are perceived as feminine in order to conform to a masculine ideal. For example, Weeper threatens to kill Bam-Bam for screaming in fear after the shooting at the Singer’s house.

Several of the book’s main characters have homosexual inclinations, even if far fewer of them identify as gay. One of the most prominent queer characters in the novel is Weeper, whose preference for gay sex and cocaine addiction are framed as twin attributes which both developed during his time in prison. Weeper explains that when he was in prison he started using cocaine in order to be able to bring himself to have sex with men. Although the homophobic culture of Jamaica prohibits voluntary sex between men, having sex with men in prison is tolerated because there are no women present and an insatiable sexual appetite is seen as being part of hypermasculine culture. However, Weeper’s explanation about his exploits in prison is only partly true; the reality is that Weeper simply prefers having sex with men, and there is even some indication that other characters in the novel accept this as an unspoken fact. For example, Josey points out that Weeper experiences the happiest time of his life in prison, implying that this is because it was the only time he was able to indulge his homosexual desires freely. Toward the end of the novel, Josey admits that he knows he “should” have killed Weeper for being gay, but that instead he turned a blind eye to Weeper’s sexuality, letting it exist as something of an open secret. 

At the same time, this does not mean that gay sex is openly practiced or accepted within the world of the novel. One of the most frequent insults in the novel is “battyboy” (or “battyman”), Jamaican slang for gay man. Indeed, as Josey’s thoughts of killing Weeper indicate, the punishment for being perceived as gay is not simply condemnation or social shunning, but violence and death. Because of the extreme version of masculinity embodied by the characters in the novel, even the most minor deviations into perceived effeminateness or “weakness” are strictly punished. If a gang member so much as flinches while performing or witnessing an act of violence, they are labelled a battyboy or “pussyhole,” a term which similarly highlights the way in which femininity is associated with shame. Jamaica is often portrayed as one of the more dangerous places in the world to be a gay person, particularly for men. Although the novel contains several examples of Jamaican men who engage in gay sex, it also affirms the impression that being gay is highly dangerous in Jamaica.

Masculinity is presented as hindering the free and open expression of emotion even within queer contexts. For example, when Weeper is having sex, he stops himself from moaning because he thinks that making sounds turns him into the “woman” in the dynamic. Meanwhile the other major gay character, John-John, is more open about his sexual preferences than Weeper but berates himself for the attachment he has developed to his lover in Chicago, Rocky. This in turn connects John-John, a white gay American, to the to the black straight Jamaican men who also face the pressure to be promiscuous in order to live up to a masculine ideal. For example, the other characters find it odd that Josey is in a monogamous relationship with his girlfriend, Winifred, because part of embodying a masculine ideal involves demonstrating sexual aggression and virility. Masculinity is thus presented as a harmful norm to both gay and straight characters, even if gay characters suffer more severely under its demands.