Despite my absolute hatred for Loyal and the majority of men within Postcards, I do feel you have down played the male themes. For instance, as you rightly said Women do indeed get stronger and more independent as the novel unfolds, and in turn men get weaker. We do see a certain vulnerability and almost sentiment in Loyal, -much like the sorrow I feel for Toot(?) when he becomes impotent, because not only are his organs affected, but his emotions which in turn restrict him from living day to day life- especially when he is talking and or thinking about Billy  (a woman). Therefore I feel the characterisation of men is far deeper than face value. And, in response to your point, 'women are in positions of strength', even though Billy is dead - a weak and unmanageable position- she still has power and lives through Loyal, thus supporting your previous point. Also, this vulnerability men show doesn't make us (me) feel absolute empathy towards them, simply because the women have been so incredibly downtrodden in the beginning (so maybe it is a moral story, women triumph?). And going even further on that point, could you say it was slightly feminist? Much like The Color purple where Celie sets up her own business selling pants, and prevails over her sordid past, finally living an interpretation of the American Dream.

I don't feel the women have that many 'choices' to make through the course of the novel, I can only think of Jewel actively wanting to learn to drive. So I don't feel it is through their own choices that strengthen their character, which maybe this fact alone causes us to feel sympathy as they have limited options to think and feel freely. Thus defining the definition between men and women is the opportunities of liberation they encounter -Just throwing ideas about. What makes women victorious is the way they compose themselves in difficult situations which delineates them as the strong characters they become.

JB