Frank O'Connor's 'My Oedipus Complex'

Frank O'Connor's literary piece, 'My Oedipus Complex' portrays childhood in a subverted ight. He is exploring exaggerated aspects of mother-child relationships as a reflection upon human nature. Themes and ideas present within the story are of possession, in the protagonist's view of his mother, and of jealousy. This short story shows the faults and dangers of human nature.

Possession is a motif that permeates the text. Through a first person narration, the reader is able to have an insight into the main character's perspective. "...what mother and I should do during the day."
This quote shows the world that Larry, the child, exists within. Larry's life is an exclusion of all things except hi and his mother. The line is an extract of Larry's play, and imagination involving a dialogue between his 'feet''. This technique of identifying Larry's feet with conscience allows for the reader to infer the main character's thoughts. As well as this, Larry is shown to classify his mother's attention as his own. "...my time with mother."
The use of the possessive pronoun in Larry's inner narration allows the audience to gauge his views. It shows the demanding nature that Larry feels toward his mother. This story shows the human flaw of possession through the character of Larry.

Jealousy is another theme present within the story. Through the introduction of various figures, the attention that Larry recieves is diminished. The entrance of his father is a major disruption to Larry's life. Described as, "...a stranger, a total stranger...", the paternal entity is now a source of jealousy. The repeated assertion of unacknowledgement and disassociation is a representation of Larry;s inner turmoil. Another example of this is the quote, "...Mrs Right right talked of the trouble that she had with her own father, till she put him in the Home."
This is another representation of Larry's views and ideas through the use of an indirect medium, i.e. Larry's feet. The aspect