Agostino by Moravia: Bruh A Mother's Worst Nightmare

I'm quite confident in my prediction that the whole class thought of Freud when they opened this book up. The character dynamics undeniably parallel what is spoken about in Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, where famously claims that "while he is still a small child, a son will already begin to develop a special affection for his mother, whom he regards as belonging to him; he begins to feel his father as a rival who disputes his sole possession" (143). With regards to the former, Agostino is clearly infatuated by his mother, and views her in a way that borders obsession. This narrative is extremely uncomfortable, especially when he makes claims like "she is still in her prime" and "all the bathers on the beach seemed to be watching, admiring his mother and envying him” (3). Second, since Agostino does not have a father, I feel as though this exacerbates his unhealthy obsession of his mother. I think that in some way, he feels as though he is the only one there for her now - in terms of family - BUT for Agostino this supposedly familial relationship gets quickly intertwined with something far too sensual and intimate.

During their summer trip, Agostino's Freudian relationship with his mother becomes plainly obvious. When the mother finds a new lover, Agostino feels as though he is a "second choice" illustrated in the statement "it was as if all those days on the sea with him she had been bored and had only come along for lack of better company" (7). This perception is clearly dysfunctional, as it shows that Agostino struggles to distinguish his relationship to his mother versus that of hers to another grown man.

After experiencing this "betrayal", Agostino runs off to spend time with a group of brutish boys who live in a rough area of town. He feels humiliated by the group, yet continues to hang around them in an attempt to gain a greater understanding of both himself and his mother. This actually reminded me of Breton's character in Nadja. Despite being at completely different stages in their lives, both Breton and Agostino were searching for "meaning", and were doing so in the wrong places. Breton was searching for self-understanding through messing around with a mentally challenged woman named Nadja, and Agostino was searching for self-understanding through hanging out with a barbaric, misogynistic gang of boys.

At the end of the day, I think the book ended with Agostino in a state of confusion. This trip marked his departure from childhood innocence and his introduction to the sexist, cruel, and almost feral nature of society. Unfortunately, I believe that Agostino's first encounter with "reality" was deeply harmful, and will carry forth dire consequences for the boy's social development, both in terms of his relationship with his mother and the formation of his broader worldviews.

My question for the class: To what extent do you think Agostino’s involvement with the gang will shape his understanding of society? Is this influence deconstructible, or will it permanently shape who he becomes?

I had a very hard time trying to capture this dysfunctional read in one photo. So here's a nice image of what I imagine the seaside vacation to resemble: