Question

what does the phrase "i dreaded growing up" reveal about the aurthors perspective on the men he observed in his youth?

Answer 1

dreaded means disliked, great fear, so I think he simply meant that he didnt look foward to growing up. like he was fearfull of it

Answer 2

To dread is to fear. In this case, the author claims that, when young, he was afraid of growing up. This feeling reveals details about the author's perspective on the men he observed in his youth. The author realized that the men were always required to be very "manly" and to be interested in "manly" things, which did not include intellectual pursuits. Moreover, the men were always required to work very hard, and they mostly looked unhappy with their lives.