Frank O’Conner: My Oedipus Complex

Everyone shows traces of the little green monster, kn have got as jealousy, but whatsoever more than others. This specific trait has had a huge effect on the world over time, sometimes destroying, sometimes rebuilding trust, friendships, and even business opportunities. green-eyed monster is an extremely prominent element in most of Frank OConnors authorships and is often shown through different literary concepts such as conflict, characterization, and obsessive love.In writing My Oedipus difficult, OConnor investigates the issue of jealousy through the various actions of his characters and the conflicts they get themselves tangled in, more importantly the ones involving their child similar obsessive love. To fully understand OConnors stories, you first establish to delve deep into his background. Frank OConnor was born in Cork, Ireland, on September 17, 1903 to Michael and Minnie ODonovan. He was born under the name of Michael ODonovan, but later created the anonym Frank OConn or that he would use for all of his writings (Gale).It was there in Cork that he experienced the horrors and distress of living in poverty. sluice when the family had a small amount of money, OConnors incur would regularly go aside on drinking sprees and return home violent and cruel (Gale). OConnor, creation the just now son, learned to help provide for his mother when his fathers priorities fell brusquesighted. OConnors education was minimal as he only attended formal school for a short period of time. Although, even after he couldnt afford it any longer, he continued to further his education by reading widely and often (Contemporary).Under the focussing and instruction of Daniel Corkey, OConnors biggest influence, he joined the Irish Republi bunghole Army. He fought against the British even after a treaty was signed ending the war in 1921 (Gale). OConnor was therefore arrested and imprisoned for his involvement in abiding the fight (Gale). During his time in prison, OCon nor continued to educate himself until his release in 1923 and formed many of the ideas that he would use in his future short stories. After he was released from prison in 1923, OConnor held various teaching posts at American Universities. He then went back to Ireland and worked as a librarian.Being a librarian and educator suited OConnor well because he could never put down a book and he was eager to share his knowledge with the rest of the world, especially the days y turn outh. OConnor continued to write and teach upon his return to Ireland and until his death, caused by a heart attack, on establish 10, 1966 in Dublin. Although there were many worldly issues happening at the time My Oedipus Complex was written, OConnor often chooses personal reminiscences over focusing on bigger, withstanding issues. no amour that can be identified as social or political to the highest degree My Oedipus Complex (Literature Resource Center).Many of OConnors other stories, however, were saturat ed with the conundrums of his time. In My Oedipus Complex, Larry is forced to face the circumstance that now that his father has returned from the war, Larry is no longer his mothers first priority. This goes on to include the Irish Republican Army in OConnors past. Also, World War I was fey on lightly. The first conflict in My Oedipus Complex is an extremely obvious one. The main conflict occurs between a young boy, Larry, and his father. For as long as Larry can remember, he has been living with only his mother because his father was a soldier in World War I (OConnor 337).While Larry was living with solely his mother, he was treated almost as an adult (OConnor 343). breed would often have long talks with her son in the mornings about the events that would occur later that day and what was running through her young childs head. When father returns home, it is pure chaos between him and his only son as the morning ritual is fitful and short becomes forgotten. It is all that Moth er can do to settle the constant bickering between her only son and her husband. It is impossible for her to choose a brass because they both have such significant roles in her life. military chaplain often treats Larry as if he were merely the child that he really is, while Larry, used to cosmos treated fairly in his own home, believes that he is much more mature than his father (OConnor 343). Larry was fully convinced that scram didnt deserve Mothers love and pith nearly as much as him, so naturally Larry did all that he could to prevent him from getting it. Larry felt that preceptor was too conceited for his own good and every time he spoke, bewilders words agitated Larry beyond belief (OConnor 346). In other words, he saw Father as a self-absorbed, immature fool (OConnor 340).These observations made Larry realize how much he hated Father at the time, but his attitude towards his father would soon change for the better. For the time being, Larry, as he was only five and not getting his own way, was full of spite as soon as Father got home. He even kicked Father a couple times the next morning so that he could lie in the bed next to Mother instead of Father (OConnor 344-345). This angered Father and flared up his reclusive anger towards his son. Father didnt want to let his son or his wife know that he was getting impatient, but Larry was starting to see that all his little annoyances were starting to add up.It was becoming more and more obvious to both Larry and his mother that Father was not at all pleased with Larrys actions. Larry would often catch Father glaring at him from the corner of his eye and referred to him as a mountain out for murder (OConnor 346). All the tension within the family was starting to affect everyone in the signhold. That settled it. Either Father or I would have to leave the house (OConnor 343). When the new baby (Sonny) is born, Father is thrown into the same position as Larry. Mother is suddenly ignoring not only Larry, but Father, too (OConnor 349).Father seeks solace in Larry, climbing into bed with him and complaining about Sonny, and the two of them bond this way. Finally, an understanding is reached. Father is sympathetic towards Larry now that he knows what his son has been through because he has been red through the exact same thing ever since Sonny was born. Father even ends up buying Larry an expensive train set for Christmas because now he understands how it feels to be forgotten in the midst of other people. The unique way that OConnor develops his characters has a prominent effect on the way he tells his story.Since Larry is the main character, he has the most divergent traits. He often expresses an astounding level of maturity, but after Father returns from the war, he often thinks about how there is a plenitude that he doesnt understand (OConnor 342). Larrys lack of understanding is most noticable when he thinks about how things were when it was just him and Mother at home and compa res it to how they are now that Father is back. Larry, being just a young boy, did not have very much patience or understanding for what was going on and he didnt like that Father was seemingly stealing Mother away from him (OConnor 342).Growing up, OConnor did not have a good relationship with his father, so he used that to adjunct this story in particular. In addition to growing up without a positive father figure OConnor had to take on a role of responsibility because of his fathers alcoholism. In My Oedipus Complex, Larry makes it clear that he feels that he is the more mature figure in his mothers life. I had been through it all myself, and even at that age I was grown (OConnor 349). Because of this, Larry also thinks that he is more deserving of his mothers attention, care, and love.The young boy viewed himself as responsible for his mothers health and did not like it when Father came home and Mother was distressed and pushed all the time (OConnor 339). Although Larry saw himself as older and wiser than he really was, he had a very rich imagination. In the mornings, before he went upstairs to his mothers room, Larry would let Mrs. Left and Mrs. Right, his feet, have various discussions regarding the days events (OConnor 338). When Father returned home, Mother became instantly anxious and no longer had time for their morning talks (Website).Her concern for Father was overpowering her love for her only son, which again, fits in well with OConnors background and childhood. Larry becomes extremely upset when he starts to think that his father has seemingly taken his smudge in his mothers life. When he notices that Mother is becoming overwhelmingly concerned for Father, Larry quickly realizes that he despises seeing Mother this way (Website). When Father had finally returned from the war, instead of celebrating like they should have, Mother became extremely worried about Fathers physical health (OConnor 339).She was also concerned about his mental health because of the trauma he had endured. Larry was upset about this for two reasons, the first being that he didnt like seeing his mother anxious and worried. When she was upset, so was he (Gale). The second reason was that Larry didnt like that thought that his father was seemingly replacing him as his mothers first priority. Because of all these tensions, Larry felt that he had to make sure that Father knew he wasnt just going to give up the fight. Larry was openly willing to fight against his father for Mothers affection (OConnor 347).He thought that Mother was with Father only because he was forcing her to be. With this in mind, Larry knew that he had to get Mother out of Fathers grasp. By doing this, Larry felt that he was rescuing his mother in a way (OConnor 347). Im going to marry you. I said quietly to Mother (OConnor 347). In his many short stories, specifically My Oedipus Complex, OConnor creates conflict, a lugubrious family, and distinct character traits to interpret the theme of jealousy into the plot of his story.He also uses those three concepts as an insight to his background and childhood. flat though OConnor doesnt have very many cultural influences over his writings, he makes sure that there are some working forces behind them. The only thing that differentiates OConnors writings from any other authors writings is that instead of have cultural influences, OConnor has personal influences. He often uses his own life as a supplement to his fictional stories. OConnor does a wonderful job of piecing together the small parts of his mind and connecting them into his writings.