Mother and Son

1. Mother and Son A story of oppression, individuality, conformity and the terrible relationship between a mother and son.

2. As you identify examples of techniques consider howthey contribute to the oppressive, heavy feeling. Look at the house and the weather in particular. Mother and Son is a story of oppression, repressed individuality, conformity and the terrible relationship between a mother and son.

3. Page 1 • The setting from the start creates a stifling, oppressive atmosphere. It was raining out, the “house was in partial darkness”, and “the daylight was hooded by thick yellow curtains”. The dark, dull imagery throughout reflects how closed in the son feels. • His work was “both monotonous and uncomfortable” – “monotonous” suggests repetitive and boring. This seems to suggest that his life is the same. He is ‘uncomfortable’, unhappy. • “[T]he match flickered and went out with an apologetic cough”. Light struggles to exist in this house. The pathetic nature of ‘apologetic cough’ reinforces the weakness of light in this situation. • ‘The light clung to the wick’ is also rather pathetic, as ‘clung’ suggests a desperation, as if holding on for dear life

4. Page 2 • The kitchen was “painted a dull yellow”. • His sleeping mother had a “bitter smile”. “Bitter” suggests something unpleasant, distasteful. That her smile was “bitter” suggests it was not sincere. This is reinforced by “as if fixed there”, which suggests it is simply hung on or attached to her face • His distaste for his mother is emphasised when she is described as looking as if she “were wrestling with some terrible witch’s idea in her dreams”. • He curses “helplessly” when he drops the matches. WC suggests a lack of control over the way things are going. • The monotony and oppressive nature of his life is reinforced in many ways: • The clock “struck five wheezingly”, as if it is struggling on like an elderly person • He explains that his anger towards his mother is a regular occurrence when he recognises the ‘inadequacy of this familiar retort’. He is inadequate, and this happens all the time