1. - Gasp? No. 2. Cry at looming death, yes. Depends on the character. Cry at self sacrifice in the face of motherly abandonment - depends on the relationship with their mother. 3. - Gasp and hands on face for joy. No. Potentially yes if he's gay, which I say simply because some gay men tend to have far more feminine reactions.
I don't see a lot of kids reacting in these ways. It's more of a dramatic theatrical reaction, in my opinion, not something we all do but grow out of. Plus, on the men assert themselves more under stress point, I think you'd need to elaborate because it really depends. One thing that I've observed is that women can be far more communicative under stress and more in touch with their emotions, whereas men can sometimes shut off.
I didn't read all the replies.. But most guys I know, when dealing with bad news, lower or shake their heads. There may be a forehead touch, like they're wiping away sweat. Hands may go in their front pockets. There may also be a good amount of anger, depending on the news, and would induce cussing or possibly throwing something.
I'm a girl but I always write men - and no one's ever complained about my male POV yet, so I'll add my two cents. Hands flying over mouth - typically, definitely NO. Eyes misting over when he hears he's terminally ill - I agree with Ginger elsewhere that people's reactions, male or female, would usually be stunned silence. If he's suspected he's dying for a long time and it's only now been confirmed, then dread and sinking horror, denial, perhaps anger. Tears wouldn't come till much later IMO. Mother thing - almost definitely no. Perhaps later when there's some particular emotional trigger, once the realisation's sunk in, depending on his relationship with her, sometimes his age. I can conceivably imagine the guy's eyes misting over and shedding a few tears if there were particularly tragic circumstances surrounding this situation, or perhaps he's packing his mother's stuff away and sees a family photo that triggers a particularly potent memory. But as the first natural reaction - no. Hands flying to cup one's own face - definitely no, typically speaking. The hands flying to the mouth/face thing would be seen as - for me at least - a fairly effeminate thing to do and thus I'd assume said man was gay, at least initially. Straight men might do these things too, because there're effeminate straight men too, but unless your guy was meant to be effeminate, then don't do it lol. For myself, shock's usually conveyed by speechlessness, perhaps the character saying "What?", blinking, freezing up. If the shock is a pleasant sort of shock that would induce what you think of as hands flying to the face - then I'd go for throwing his arms wide open and exclaiming something positive like, "That's fantastic!" Assuming he was interacting with a girl who's either a close friend or a love interest, I'd use this opportunity for physical contact, so he'd wrap her in a hug. For the love interest situation, this now would be an opportunity for some sexual tension and a "is he gonna kiss her?" situation If he were interacting with a guy, then simply saying something positive in response, a clap on the back would do the job. Definitely no hug lol. Other guys could correct me, but I don't think I'd be far off.
Well, I've seen guys give each other brohugs after a huge win in a sports game, so yeah. That said, if the guy's breaking down into tears, he would typically excuse himself and flee to an empty room where he'll then allow himself to quietly sob. He would probably hope no one hears him/walk into the room while he's sobbing. If he can't escape, he would probably grit his teeth, tighten his muscles and glare at some distant object. A few tears might escape, but he'll do his best to not let it pour. I'm assuming you mean fully grown guys. Young boys might be able to get away with all out bawling if the situation was that dire, in which case the adult would hold them tightly and give everyone else the 'keep walking, I got this one' look. Terminal illness? It depends on the person, though I believe guys would try to keep strong despite that fact. Strong for their family. I also imagine alcohol would be involved in the equation for both genders, and in this situation, I don't blame them. Regarding mother? It depends on the relationship. If the relationship was sour, then I suspect he would feel bitterness and anger. If he cried, it would be for what could have been, not because he had fond memories.
Speaking from experience, men and anything to do with their mother's health can equal emotional outbursts no matter how macho. Not with an audience, generally, but I've seen quite a few grown men reduced to weeping over their mummies. Losing a parent isn't something people react to in accordance with their gender.
1. I might punch my fist into the palm, and say 'On my word I pledge - the community shall rally, and together we will rebuild this house by Christmas, by Christ.' People would cheer, I too would make some noise, of course, it is inevitable - like a very large horse breathes, and big, big nostrils. Then I would put my shirt back on - probably my red and black chequered vest. I have a dozen of these in the wardrobe. 2. It is illogical to cry over my own death because I have produced a biological heir. I am already unnecessary. 3. Finally, if there was a surprise in store, I would simply step aside and allow the women to enjoy their frivolity.
