Mother and Son: "Difficult Relationship"

Mother and Son: “Difficult Relationship”

Overview

• The story features a recalcitrant relationship between a mother and son in Iain Crichton Smith’s writing.
• The tension encapsulates traditional versus modern values and identity crisis.

Character Profiles

• Mother: A devout Christian and traditionalist, her personality is staunch in her faith and the standards prescribed by the church.
• Son: A dynamic character struggling with the restrictive societal norms and yearning for autonomy and personal expression.

Key Relationships

• Mother and Son Interaction: The son’s rebellion against the entrenched beliefs and norms, represented by his mother, sjowcases the prevalent cultural pressure and the influence of the Church.

Symbolism

• The strained relationship between mother and son symbolises the clash between tradition and modernity.
• The mother’s religious orthodoxy and the son’s dissent represent the conflicting ideologies between the old and new generations.

Role in the Story

• The tumultuous mother-son relationship serves as a platform to explore themes of individualism, freedom, tradition, and societal norms.

Conclusion

• This adversarial relationship brings to fore the thematic portrayal of the battle between customs and progression.
• The mother’s rigidity and intolerance towards change counterbalances the son’s rebellion underlining the undercurrent of struggle for freedom and personal expression.
• Through their relationship, Crichton Smith effectively communicates the struggle of the individual against a dominant traditional culture.