Short Stories

Mother And Son

Theme

Family Relationships:

• The central theme of the play is the detrimental nature of some family relationships, particularly the one between John and his mother.
• John's mother is portrayed as a spiteful and hateful woman who constantly humiliates and emasculates her son.

The Cost of Duty:

• The story highlights the personal cost of being dutiful, as John fulfils his role as a devoted son but sacrifices his own happiness and freedom in the process.

The Trials and Tribulations of Rural Life:

• The narrative emphasises the harsh conditions and bleak lifestyle of rural life, illustrating the suffocating dullness of the landscape.

Parallel with Crichton Smith's Life:

• There are parallels between John's life and Crichton Smith's own experiences, as both were raised in rural Highland communities by widowed mothers with uneasy relationships.
• Crichton Smith's choice to care for his mother until her death echoes John's sense of duty.

Isolation and Sacrifice:

• John's devotion to his mother isolates him from the local community, denying him the fraternal bonds and romantic prospects enjoyed by others.
• His physical attractiveness contrasts with the poverty and loneliness of his existence.

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Short Stories

Hope for Personal Fulfilment:

• The story ends with a sense of hope that John will eventually free himself from his duty, finding the courage to pursue his own dreams and desires.

The Confines of Rural Life:

• The restrictiveness of rural life is a recurring motif in Crichton Smith's stories, including "Mother and Son," "The Red Door," "The Painter," and "The Telegram."
• These stories criticise the insular and narrow-minded nature of rural environments, but "Mother and Son" is the most negative and claustrophobic among them.

Symbolism of the Open Door:

• The open door at the end of the play symbolises the wider world and society, hinting at the promise of a more rewarding and enriching way of life outside the confines of the rural setting.