Lauren Groff on American Masculinity
- Lauren Groff's short story, "Mother of men," published in The New Yorker, plunges into the complex emotional landscape of a mother grappling with the conversion of her sons...
- Groff doesn't shy away from the anxieties surrounding masculinity in contemporary America.
- A central theme within "Mother of Men" is the acknowledgement of masculinity as a "hell of a drug," a phrase that encapsulates its intoxicating power and the often-unseen...
“`html
The Core Conflict: Motherhood and the Making of men
Lauren Groff’s short story, “Mother of men,” published in The New Yorker, plunges into the complex emotional landscape of a mother grappling with the conversion of her sons from boyhood to manhood. The story’s opening lines – “There are men in my house, too many men, I am being driven mad by the men who are always in my house” – immediately establish a sense of unease and the narrator’s struggle to reconcile her protective maternal instincts with the inherent societal implications of raising male children.
Groff doesn’t shy away from the anxieties surrounding masculinity in contemporary America. The story, sparked by a conversation at Bread Loaf with writers Carter Sickels and Emet North, explores the inherent contradictions of raising feminist sons in a culture steeped in patriarchal norms. The narrator’s internal conflict – her love for her sons juxtaposed with her awareness of the privilege and potential for harm associated with their gender - forms the emotional heart of the narrative.
The Weight of Privilege and the Insidious Nature of Misogyny
A central theme within “Mother of Men” is the acknowledgement of masculinity as a “hell of a drug,” a phrase that encapsulates its intoxicating power and the often-unseen consequences. Groff highlights the societal conditioning that grants men privilege while simultaneously fostering a sense of entitlement and, crucially, a potential for unconscious bias.
The narrator’s concern isn’t that her sons are inherently malicious, but rather that they are susceptible to the ingrained misogyny prevalent in American culture. She recognizes the need for them to be acutely aware of their physical presence as perhaps threatening to others, particularly women, and to actively challenge their own impulses to dismiss or invalidate female perspectives. This internal struggle – the desire to raise empathetic, respectful individuals versus the overwhelming force of societal norms – is a common experience for many parents.
The Encounter and the Underlying Threat
The excerpt concludes with the narrator’s unsettling encounter with a man while walking her dog. This moment serves as a potent symbol of the vulnerability and fear that women often experience in public spaces. The dread she feels isn’t simply about the man himself, but about the inherent power imbalance and the potential for violence that his presence represents. This encounter underscores the story’s broader exploration of the ways in which masculinity can be perceived as a threat, even in seemingly innocuous situations.