What are the motifs in Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story by Paul Monette?

Prejudice is a recurring idea in the story. Paul's early experiences with prejudice, bullies calling boys "queer" and "homo," lead him to the closet. While his inner life pulls him toward men, he sees that society aggressively disapproves of gay men. Paul's struggles with his homosexuality are set beside descriptions of Bobby's struggles with his physical handicap. While Bobby deals with overt discrimination from the school system, the bullies who protect him call his brother "queer."