caro39
Jun 8, 2015
Book Reports / A stranger at home (based on My Oedipus Complex) [3]
Contrast Larry's life before and after his father's return from the war. (Based on 'My Oedipus Complex' by Frank O'Connor)
Outline
Being his father at war, Larry's life was easier and quieter than after his father's return.
1) Larry's relationship with his mother
a) Larry's attitude living with his mother
b) Larry's attitude living with both of his parents
2) Larry's relationship with his father
a) Larry's attitude living only with his mother
b) Larry's attitude living with both of his parents
3) Larry's routine
a) Larry's attitude living with his mother
b) Larry's attitude living with both of his parents
Being his father at war, Larry's life was easier and quieter than after his father's return. While Larry's father was at war, Larry's relationship with his mother was close and caring. Being the only company she had, Larry caught his mother's constant attention. Larry could behave the way he wanted without receiving any punishment. However, Larry immediately lost his mother's attention once his father returned home. For example, Larry was hushed by his mother every time he spoke and he had to adapt his routine to his father's one, what I will analyse further on. Moreover, Larry's relationship with his father was also influenced by the man's return. Before the peacetime, Larry hardly knew his father and his absence did not seem to disturb the child's life. Larry saw his father's visits like Santa Claus' ones, Larry's father was almost a stranger to him. In contrast, once Larry's father was back, Larry developed certain relationship with him though it was not the best. It was rather a competition for the mother's attention than a family bond. Besides marking a "before and after" in Larry's relationship with his parents, the father's return also disrupted Larry's routine. While Larry's father was at war, Larry used to wake up every morning feeling 'like the sun' - warm, happy -, then he used to go to the big bed to have his usual morning talking with his mother and late in the afternoon they used to have a walk together. Conversely, when his father returned from the war, Larry woke up feeling like a 'bottle of champagne' - very cold, sad -, he was no more allowed to have his usual morning talking with his mother in the big bed and he has to go to afternoon walks with his father instead of his mother. Larry was not the centre of his mother's attention any more. His life turned from easy and quiet to a complete nightmare in only a few days.
Contrast Larry's life before and after his father's return from the war. (Based on 'My Oedipus Complex' by Frank O'Connor)
Outline
Being his father at war, Larry's life was easier and quieter than after his father's return.
1) Larry's relationship with his mother
a) Larry's attitude living with his mother
b) Larry's attitude living with both of his parents
2) Larry's relationship with his father
a) Larry's attitude living only with his mother
b) Larry's attitude living with both of his parents
3) Larry's routine
a) Larry's attitude living with his mother
b) Larry's attitude living with both of his parents
Being his father at war, Larry's life was easier and quieter than after his father's return. While Larry's father was at war, Larry's relationship with his mother was close and caring. Being the only company she had, Larry caught his mother's constant attention. Larry could behave the way he wanted without receiving any punishment. However, Larry immediately lost his mother's attention once his father returned home. For example, Larry was hushed by his mother every time he spoke and he had to adapt his routine to his father's one, what I will analyse further on. Moreover, Larry's relationship with his father was also influenced by the man's return. Before the peacetime, Larry hardly knew his father and his absence did not seem to disturb the child's life. Larry saw his father's visits like Santa Claus' ones, Larry's father was almost a stranger to him. In contrast, once Larry's father was back, Larry developed certain relationship with him though it was not the best. It was rather a competition for the mother's attention than a family bond. Besides marking a "before and after" in Larry's relationship with his parents, the father's return also disrupted Larry's routine. While Larry's father was at war, Larry used to wake up every morning feeling 'like the sun' - warm, happy -, then he used to go to the big bed to have his usual morning talking with his mother and late in the afternoon they used to have a walk together. Conversely, when his father returned from the war, Larry woke up feeling like a 'bottle of champagne' - very cold, sad -, he was no more allowed to have his usual morning talking with his mother in the big bed and he has to go to afternoon walks with his father instead of his mother. Larry was not the centre of his mother's attention any more. His life turned from easy and quiet to a complete nightmare in only a few days.