“My Oedipus Complex” by Frank O’ Connor

In the story “My Oedipus Complex”, Frank O’ Connor writes about a little boy Larry and his relationship with his parents. Everything was fine when his father was away for war because Larry got all the attention and love from the mother. When the father returned from the war, Larry felt that he had to share his mother with his father and disliked that. Then, Larry tried to do everything he could to get his mother’s attention and started seeing his father as his rival. Later when Sonny, his little brother was born, the mother was totally busy and had even lesser time to spend with Larry.

Larry is the real victim because his daily routine was changed suddenly, he had poor parenting, and he was ignored. Everyone in the story has been a victim at some point but the main victim is Larry. Sonny was a victim. For example, Larry pinched little Sonny just to keep him awake so that he didn’t have to tiptoe in the house, “ sometimes to keep him awake I pinched him as well” (166). Father was a victim. Larry tries to disturb his father every morning climbing in the bed and making noise, “ He was taking more than a fair share of the bed, and I couldn’t get comfortable so I gave him several kicks that made him grunt and stretch”(160).

Mother was a victim when the father yelled at Larry for talking back. Mother cries, ‘“Mick, Mick! ”’(164). However, Larry has been victimized in many ways and more than the father, the mother and Sonny have been victimized. The first reason that Larry is a victim is that his daily routine was changed suddenly. When his father was away, Larry spent a lot of time with his mother, “After breakfast, we went into town; heard Mass at St. Augustine’s and said a prayer for a father, and did shopping” (159). He talked to her about his idea; she took him for a walk and prayed together.

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When Larry says, “After that I went into mother’s room and climbed into the big bed” indicates that every morning he quietly squeezed in his mother’s bed which was also his daily routine until his father came back from war (159). Everything changed for him after his father came back. His mother stopped taking him for a walk. When he went to his mother’s bed, his father was there. His mother said he had to stop coming to the bed. But she did not make it clear to him why he had to stop. Since he was just a child, he could not understand. So, he felt victimized when all these routines changed all of a sudden.

The second reason Larry is a victim because he had poor parenting. When the father says, ‘“Shut up! Your little puppy! ”’ shows that he does not care about the word he used in front of his son (164). Father should be very careful because Larry is just a child and he learns from what he hears and sees. But, he is least concerned, uses the harsh words and smacks him, “‘I see he’s better fed than taught,’. . . ‘He wants his bottom smacked. ’” Larry’s father should have been nice to him and made him understand in a different rather than using these harsh words and smacking him. Gripping my arms very tightly” shows that the mother holds Larry’s arms tightly instead of making him understand with love(163). She expects him to stay quiet when he is just a child. These behaviors of the parents show that Larry had poor parenting.

The third reason Larry is a Victim because he was ignored. Mother didn’t give Larry much attention when his father came back from war, “‘Do be quiet Larry! ” she said impatiently. “Don’t you hear me talking to Daddy? ”’(159). “He got up early and made tea, but though he brought mother a cup he brought none for me. indicates that Larry’s father brought tea only for his mother and nothing for him (162). When his little brother Sonny was born, the mother had even less time for Larry and stopped taking him for walks and also smacked him for nothing, “ She stopped taking me for walks, became as touchy as blazes, and smacked me for nothing at all” (166). To conclude Larry is the main victim in the story where his daily routine is changed, he is poorly parented and is ignored. Although everyone has become the victim at some point, the main victim is Larry.

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