Mama’s Boy [electronic resource] : Momism and Homophobia in Postwar American Culture /
Oever, Roel van den.author.
In postwar America, the discourse of Momism advanced the idea that an over-affectionate or too-distant mother hampers the social and psychosexual development of her children, in particular her sons. Deemed worst of all was the outcome of homosexuality, since the period saw an intense policing of sexual deviance. van den Oever zooms in on four instances of the cultural representation of Momism: The Grotto, by Grace Zaring Stone, Suddenly Last Summer, by Tennessee Williams, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, and Portnoy's Complaint, by Philip Roth, to offer new commentary on canonical texts, a particular moment in American culture, and future reading strategies.
Description based upon print version of record.
Cover; Mama's Boy; Contents; Introduction; Momism and the Lavender Scare; Momism; The Lavender Scare; Oppositional Reading and The Grotto; Introduction; Oppositional Reading; Celia's Momism; Freddy's Clutter; Conclusion; Narrative Closure andSuddenly Last Summer; Introduction; Narrative Closure; Believing Catharine; Catharine Dreaming; Conclusion; Character Engagementand Psycho; Introduction; Character Engagement; Sympathetic Norman; Momism Discredited; Conclusion; Laughter/Ridicule andPortnoy's Complaint; Introduction; Laughter/Ridicule; Main Body; Lemma and Coda; Conclusion; Conclusion
NotesIntroduction; Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5; Works Cited; Fiction; Film; Index
Includes bibliographical references and index.
In postwar America, the discourse of Momism advanced the idea that an over-affectionate or too-distant mother hampers the social and psychosexual development of her children, in particular her sons. Deemed worst of all was the outcome of homosexuality, since the period saw an intense policing of sexual deviance. van den Oever zooms in on four instances of the cultural representation of Momism: The Grotto, by Grace Zaring Stone, Suddenly Last Summer, by Tennessee Williams, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, and Portnoy's Complaint, by Philip Roth, to offer new commentary on canonical texts, a particular moment in American culture, and future reading strategies.
Sociology.
America-Literatures.
Literature.
Literature, Modern-20th century.
United States-Study and teaching.
Gender Studies.
North American Literature.
Literature, general.
Twentieth-Century Literature.
American Culture.
Cultural Studies.