“A young boy, determined to cleanse himself of the embarrassing stigma of his virginity, seduces and beds his 10-year-old sister. A husband, who treasures a nineteenth-century criminal’s penis in a jar, “disappears” his wife into a surfaceless plane. A man revenges himself by pouring a pan of boiling oil into the lap of an antagonizing co-worker. An Aunt forces her nephew to don dress and blonde wig before coming down to dinner. Welcome to the world of Ian McEwan” (Slay 9).
Ian Russell McEwan was born on the 21st of June in 1948 in Aldershot, England, as the only son of David and Rose McEwan. He spent most his childhood in military outposts such as Singapore and Libya because his father was a soldier of the British army. After having attended a boarding school in Suffolk, he enters the University of Sussex in 1966 where he began writing fiction and also achieved his BA degree in English literature in 1970. One year later he obtained his MA degree at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. In 1975 he published his first short story collection, First Love, Last Rites, which was his Master thesis in the subject ‘creative writing’. The shocking stories that are arranged in First Love, Last Rites brought him immediate critical compliments and he won the Somerset Maugham Award for their intelligent skills and originality. Most of these stories deal with abnormal sexuality, disorganized family life or claustrophobic tales.
In his Short Stories, McEwan wrote at the beginning of his career, the protagonists are mostly children or young persons who tell the stories as first person narrators. Wolfgang G. Müller says in his interpretation of the Short story First Love, Last Rites that “the attention is drawn to the developmental stage of adolescence with its psychological problems that are especially linked to the first sexual experiences and to the search of gender identity” (translated from Müller 266). Ian McEwan became well known for his “new way of dealing with the topic of initiation where he places special emphasis on transgress and perverse sexual behaviour and also on criminal aspects” (translated from Müller 266).
In this term paper the title story First Love, Last Rites will be analysed in the context of initiation and adolescence. Hereby, I will firstly introduce some important terms so that I can go on with explaining what an initiation story is. The last part then will be about the short story itself where I will summarize and analyse FLLR
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Initiation: The Rite of Passage to become an Adolescent / Adult
3. What is an initiation story? – Typical Characteristics – Definition
4. “First Love, Last Rites”
4.1. Summary
4.2. Analysis
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Topics
This paper examines Ian McEwan’s short story "First Love, Last Rites" through the lens of initiation literature and adolescent development. It explores how the protagonists transition from childhood to adulthood and whether their experiences can be defined as a "rite of passage" within the framework of literary theory.
- The theoretical distinction between adolescence, initiation, and rites of passage.
- Definitions and typical characteristics of the "initiation story" genre.
- Symbolism in the text, particularly regarding sexuality, nature, and the "creature."
- Analysis of the protagonists' psychological development and search for identity.
- The relationship between the title and the thematic resolution of the narrative.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2. Analysis
The title story First Love, Last Rites is a typical story of initiation and adolescence and also deals with the search of identity and individuality. This will be analyzed in the following chapter.
In the short story First Love, Last Rites the very title is significant for an initiation story. It describes the I-narrator’s first experiences with sexuality when saying: “it was new to me, all this.” (McEwan 117) “Everything about women was new to me.” (McEwan 122) Also the second part of the title gives a hint of being an initiation story. The word “rite” alludes to the “rites of passage” that describe some rituals which help young persons in the process of initiation to take on adult status or adult roles.
In he very first lines the protagonist mentions his fantasies that he always has while having sex with Sissel, “fantasies of the creature.” (McEwan 117) During the story he recognizes that new live could arise out of their lovemaking, “that we could make a creature grow in Sissel’s belly” (McEwan 121) but he does not want to be a father. “This understanding of the possibility to create new life is an important feature of the maturation of human and therefore of an initiation story.” (translated from Maye 8)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides biographical background on Ian McEwan and introduces the thematic focus on adolescent development and initiation in his early short stories.
2. Initiation: The Rite of Passage to become an Adolescent / Adult: This section clarifies the definitions of adolescence and initiation, distinguishing between biological maturation and social rites of passage.
3. What is an initiation story? – Typical Characteristics – Definition: This chapter establishes a literary framework for the initiation story, utilizing definitions to explain how characters undergo fundamental development.
4. “First Love, Last Rites”: This chapter provides a summary of the plot and an analysis of how the narrative explores sexual initiation, identity, and the symbolic border between humans and animals.
5. Conclusion: This final section synthesizes the findings, characterizing the story as a "tentative" initiation narrative where the ultimate outcome of the protagonists' development remains open.
Keywords
Ian McEwan, First Love Last Rites, Initiation, Adolescence, Rite of Passage, Sexuality, Identity, Coming of Age, Maturation, Literary Analysis, Short Story, Symbolism, Growth, Development, Narrative
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the short story "First Love, Last Rites" by Ian McEwan, analyzing it specifically as an initiation story centered on the themes of adolescence and the transition to adulthood.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central themes include the search for individual identity, the ritualization of sexuality, the symbolic loss of innocence, and the psychological development of the young protagonists.
What is the main research question or objective?
The objective is to determine how the story functions as an initiation narrative and to what extent the characters successfully cross the threshold from childhood to the adult world.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author employs literary analysis, utilizing definitions from anthropology and literary theory (specifically Marcus Mordecai's work) to interpret the text's symbols and structural elements.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body defines terms like "rite of passage," provides a plot summary of McEwan's story, and offers an in-depth analysis of key scenes, such as the encounters with the "creature" (the rat) and the changing nature of the protagonists' relationship.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Ian McEwan, Initiation, Adolescence, Rite of Passage, Identity, and Maturation.
How does the author categorize "First Love, Last Rites" according to Mordecai's theory?
The author categorizes it as a "tentative" initiation story because the narrative concludes without clear evidence that the protagonists have definitively crossed the threshold into stable adulthood.
What role does the "creature" play in the story's symbolism?
The "creature" (the rat) symbolizes the intersection of life and death, fertility, and the characters' struggle with their own impulses, ultimately serving as a catalyst for their transition toward taking responsibility.
- Quote paper
- Nina Jungmann (Author), 2010, Ian McEwan’s Short Story "First Love, Last Rites" as a Story of Initiation and Adolescence, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/173118
