Key to the Midway: Masculinity at Work in a Western Canadian Carnival
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Key to the Midway: Masculinity at Work in a Western Canadian Carnival by Fiona Angus M.A., University of British Columbia, 1991 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Faculty of Graduate Studies (Department of Anthropology and Sociology) We accept this thesis as conforming to the required standard The University of British Columbia December 2000 ©Fiona Angus, iOOO UBC Special Collections - Thesis Authorisation Form http://www.library.ubc.ca/spcoll/thesauth.html In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make it freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of The University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada Date 1 of 1 12/18/00 7:12 PM ABSTRACT Arising out of an intensive participant-observation research project in which the researcher travelled with a Western Canadian carnival for several months in 1996, working and living as a carnival employee, this ethnographic study1 of workers in the carnival explores the intersection of gender, race, and social class that provides a work force who willingly undertake jobs that are characterized by hardship and exploitation. The subjective understandings of the workers towards their work and living conditions underscore the salience of gender (particularly protest masculinity) and social class (lower tier of the working class) and illuminate the finding that, far from seeing themselves as oppressed, the workers celebrate their work and the physical toll that it takes on their bodies. The carnival is male-dominated, and the social construction of masculinity combines with the heavy physical demands of most of the carnival jobs to produce a work environment with conditions that defy common-sense understandings of safety and endurance, but which the male workers, through their adherence to masculinist i Explanation of Thesis Title: 'Key to the Midway' was a term used often in the carnival and it had amorphous and ambiguous meanings. I heard it used to refer to r-clips, which are multi-purpose clips shaped like a capital-R that are used to fasten rides together, lock ride doors, and hold up people's jeans' zippers. They came in a variety of sizes, from 1 inch to 10 inches. I also heard the term used in a practical joke that was often played on mooches (carnival customers). A carny would say to a mooch "Go over to that guy and ask him for the key to the midway [or can of striped paint, glass hammer, left-handed screwdriver...]." The other carnival worker would then say to the mooch "I don't have it. Go ask that guy." And so it carried on, as the mooch was sent from place to place to look for the non-existent "key to the midway". When pondering ideas for the title of this thesis, I thought about the elusive, ambiguous and, ultimately unattainable, nature of masculinity. ii ideals of strength and heroism, use to express their glorification of heavy, physical labour. The research also demonstrates how racialization processes outside the carnival predispose male Aboriginal and Metis workers to seek and find employment in the carnival, and that, despite the dominance of White owners and workers, no evidence of discriminatory labour or social practices was located within the carnival culture itself. Also examined is the issue of mental labour in a working-class environment, not from the traditional standpoint found in most academic discussions of the mental-manual oppositional dichotomy, but from the perspective of the practitioners themselves in the carnival's games, where the use of interpersonal skills is critical to their financial and social success. Despite the relatively few women in the carnival, their presence serves to validate one of the key tenets of protest masculinity — the norm of heterosexuality. Most of the young women in the carnival practice "emphasized femininity", a kind of femininity constructed in relation to masculinity, and designed to attract the eyes and bodies of men. This thesis examines some key concepts in protest masculinity and emphasized femininity, such as violence, mental and manual labour, and social activities, blending in issues of gender, racialization and social class, to add to the growing literature on working class cultures. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS viii PART ONE 2 CHAPTER I Going on the Jump and Setting up the Show: Introduction 2 Introduction 2 The Research Problem 15 CHAPTER II What Route Do I Take to Get to the Next Spot?: Exploring New Ethnographic Terrain 25 Introduction 25 Carnivals: Definition and History 29 Carnivals: Literature 37 Case Studies 42 Masculinity 45 Conclusion 49 CHAPTER III Getting Loked and Setting Up: Methodological Considerations 52 Introduction 52 Methodological Concerns 55 Methodology 73 CHAPTER IV Pig Iron, Joints, Royalty and Dogs: The Physical and Social Structure of Sullivan Amusements 86 Introduction 86 North American Carnivals 87 Carnival Seasons and Routes 93 Physical and Organizational Structure of Sullivan Amusements 95 Conclusion 119 iv CHAPTER V Cabanas, Donachers, and "Native Boys": Carnival Homes, Amenities and the Gendered and Racialized Aspects of the Carnival Hierarchy 122 Living Quarters and Accessibility to Showers/Washroom Facilities 122 Workers' Wages 129 Gender and Ethnicity 135 Conclusion 141 PART II 143 CHAPTER VI Dee-Effers, Lifers, Lot Lice and Princesses: Theorizing Working-Class Masculinity 143 Introduction 143 Feminist Theorizing of Working-Class Culture 150 Hegemonic Masculinity 152 Working Class/Protest Masculinity 155 Violence, Heterosexuality/Homosexuality and Femininity 162 Gender and Social Class 173 Race, Ethnicity and Racialization 178 Gender, Race, Social Class and Protest Masculinity in Sullivan Amusements 185 Conclusion 189 CHAPTER VII Buckets, Bennies and Belly Cloths: Ride Guy Pride and Protest Masculinity 192 Introduction 192 Tear-Down at Sullivan Amusements 197 Ride Guy Skill ...201 The "Feeding" of Protest Masculinity 202 Taking It Like a Man 205 Humourous Trickery 214 Conclusion 216 CHAPTER VIII Blanket Parties, Baseball Bats, and Broken Hands: Violence as the Means of Control and Expression in Protest Masculinity 218 Introduction 218 Verbal Violence and Deprivation ....220 Fighting Each Other 227 Fighting With Locals 227 v The Beating Crew 228 Manipulation of the Carny Justice System 236 Domestic Violence 238 Violence Practiced by Women 239 Violence and Race 243 Conclusion 245 CHAPTER IX Razzle Games, Agents and Cooling Out the Beef: Gender, Race and Skill in Non-Manual Carnival Labour 250 Introduction 250 Description of the Joints 251 Social Class and Game Joints 254 Joints, Gender and Morality 257 Skills in the Joints 266 The Racialization of Joint Line Work 270 Conclusion 270 CHAPTER X "We're Just One Big Happy Family Out Here": Socializing with the Carnies 273 Introduction 273 Dinners, Movies and a Tan: Informal Socializing among the Royalty 276 Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll: Informal Socializing among the Carnival Workers 277 Beer, Breakfast and Posturing: Socializing in Public Places 279 Barbecue, Ladies' Night and Pie Car Performances: "Organized" Social Outings 285 Showgirls, "A Good Woman" and the Search for Prince Charming: Romantic/Sexual Relationships 294 Informal Socializing on the Lot 303 Racialized Social Activities and Relationships 305 Conclusion 306 CHAPTER XI Tearing Down and Heading Out: Conclusion 309 Fights, Hugs and Bitterness: Leaving Sullivan Amusements 309 A New Appreciation for Comforts 314 Making Sense of It All 317 Locating the Key to the Midway: Research Findings 318 Gender and Sexuality 319 Processes of Racialization 323 vi Class 324 Some Concluding Thoughts on Sullivan Amusements 325 Contributions of this Thesis 334 Areas for Further Study 335 Limitations to the Research 337 LOT CALL, POEM BY THE IMMORTAL TROUBADOUR 339 BIBLIOGRAPHY 340 GLOSSARY 349 APPENDIX A: Sullivan Amusements Personnel and their Jobs 354 APPENDIX B: Forms that (Some) Employees Signed 356 APPENDIX C: Interview Questions 358 APPENDIX D: Fair Board Contract (Memorandum of Agreement) 360 APPENDIX E: Hierarchy of Owners and Workers ....362 APPENDIX F: Photograph of Sketch of Large Carnival Lot at an Agricultural Fair 364 APPENDIX G: Privacy and Confidentiality 365 vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis is dedicated to three fine men in my life for their strong emotional support and faith in me that never faltered — my sons, Matthew and Timothy Maybin, and my father, David Angus (1916-1996). Enormous thanks also go to Dr. Gillian Creese, my thesis supervisor, who provided me with ongoing intellectual and emotional support, particularly during the difficult writing process involved in this thesis. My gratitude also goes to my friends and sisters, Deirdre and Mary, who, though mystified that I would want to run away with the carnival, never wavered in their support and understanding at my need for unobstructed time to finish the writing. The research could not have been conducted without the co-operation of the owners of Sullivan Amusements. I am most grateful that they welcomed me into the carnival, and permitted me to undertake in-depth observation and interviews. Finally, immense thanks go to the carnival workers who opened up their hearts and minds to me, privileging me with their thoughts, insights and marvellous words, and extending the carnival camaraderie to include me, all of which combined to create the fruitful set of data upon which this thesis is based. viii Sam, a ride guy striking a "manly" pose on his ride truck Parti Chapter 1 Going On the Jump1 and Setting Up the Show: Introduction Cameron just came over to the ticket box a few minutes ago and asked me for a photo of myself and he said to me something that actually several people, especially joint people, have said to me, in this last two month period.