In Boys Will See Boys: Folklore, Friendships, and Emotions in Boyhood Snapshots, author Jay Mechling examines snapshotsphotographs of boys taken by boysto uncover the private, inner lives of American boys, away from adult surveillance. At the heart of the project is a collection of vintage snapshots collected over the yearsall anonymous photographs acquired by the author through eBay. Mechling argues that, taken together, these snapshots serve as a history of white American boyhood. Since the boys are being photographed by and with their peers in a relaxed environment, the photographs resonate with authenticity.
The project includes deeper looks at adolescent male friendship, as well as the links between boyhood and child culture, such as play, sexuality, adolescence, bonding, and violence, among others. Using the lens of American culture studies, Mechling expertly "reads" each photograph, outlining the social, cultural, intertextual, and historical context, to deepen our understanding of boyhood within our larger cultural system.
