Parks and Recreation: "If It Doesn't Have Meat, It's A Snack"

NBC’s comedy Parks and Recreation has a strong female character as a protagonist named Leslie Knope. However, two supporting characters serve as examples for the wide spectrum of masculinity. One is Ron Swanson, a hard-liquor drinking, mustached libertarian. The other is Tom Haverford, a fine-suit loving, wanna-be entrepreneur. While both are completely different embodiments of what they believe masculinity is, they manage to coexist and bring a balance to Leslie Knope’s, and the show’s, life.

Ron is the toughest man in Pawnee, Indiana (the fictional town where the show is set). He loves breakfast food and eating anything that had a pulse at one time. He lives by a series of life-long beliefs like, “Crying: acceptable at funerals and the Grand Canyon” and “Clear alcohols are for rich women on diets.” He shows almost no emotion and does not really care for his co-workers although he cares deeply for Leslie. When he’s not at the Parks Department, Ron spends his time hunting or woodworking. Ron Swanson is the pure embodiment of old-fashioned masculinity. He is a man out of place in the 21^st century, but he doesn’t mind.

Tom is the complete opposite of Ron. While Ron is a large white man with a thick mustache, Tom is small Indian-American. His main goal is to be an entrepreneur who makes millions, like his idol Sean “Diddy” Combs. He likes the fine things in life and is all about style over substance. He is much more effeminate than Ron but the show does not present either one as the perfect personification of manhood. Each type has its flaws and shortcomings. Ron is so emotionless that he comes as cold and Tom is so fixated on his outward appearance that he negates peoples’ emotions. Both types of masculinity have their negative aspects highlighted by the two opposing characters, which allows the show to reach a balance.