“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
Inhaltsverzeichnis (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
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper analyzes Ian McEwan's short story "First Love, Last Rites" within the context of initiation and adolescence. It aims to explore the story's portrayal of adolescent development and the process of transitioning to adulthood. The paper will define and examine the characteristics of initiation stories and apply this framework to McEwan's work.
- The definition and characteristics of initiation stories
- The concept of adolescence and its psychological implications
- The role of rites of passage in the transition to adulthood
- Analysis of "First Love, Last Rites" as an initiation story
- McEwan's unique approach to depicting initiation and adolescence
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage by introducing Ian McEwan and his distinctive style of storytelling, particularly focusing on his exploration of unsettling themes in his short stories. It highlights McEwan's early career and the themes of abnormal sexuality and dysfunctional family dynamics often present in his works. The chapter also outlines the paper's objective to analyze "First Love, Last Rites" through the lens of initiation and adolescence. McEwan's biographical details and critical reception of his first short story collection, including the Somerset Maugham Award, are also discussed, contextualizing his work within a broader literary landscape.
2. Initiation: The Rite of Passage to become an Adolescent / Adult: This chapter delves into the anthropological and psychological aspects of initiation and adolescence. It clarifies the distinctions between adolescence (a period of growth and development), initiation (formal rituals marking the transition to adulthood), and rites of passage (the rituals themselves). The chapter draws upon Webster's dictionary and other scholarly sources to define these terms and explore their interconnectedness. It emphasizes that adolescence is a prolonged process of maturation, encompassing physical, intellectual, and emotional growth, contrasting it with the more delimited nature of initiation rituals in anthropology. The importance of these rites in providing structure and guidance for young people as they assume adult roles and responsibilities is also highlighted.
3. What is an initiation story? – Typical Characteristics – Definition: Building upon the previous chapter's discussion of initiation, this section shifts the focus to the literary genre of the initiation story. It draws heavily on Mordecai's article to explain how the concept of initiation translates into literature. The chapter discusses the challenges of identifying initiation stories in literature, as the "rites of passage" are often implicit rather than explicitly depicted. It examines multiple definitions of initiation stories, distinguishing between those emphasizing a gain of knowledge about the external world and those that focus on self-discovery and adaptation to society. Mordecai's working definition of an initiation story is presented, highlighting the importance of a significant change in knowledge, character, or both, leading the protagonist to an adult world. The chapter also categorizes initiation stories into "tentative," "uncompleted," and "decisive" types based on their impact on the protagonist's maturity.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of Ian McEwan's "First Love, Last Rites"
What is the main topic of this academic paper?
This term paper analyzes Ian McEwan's short story "First Love, Last Rites" through the lens of initiation stories and the process of adolescent development and the transition to adulthood. It examines the story's portrayal of these themes and explores McEwan's unique approach to depicting them.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
The paper explores several key themes, including: the definition and characteristics of initiation stories; the concept of adolescence and its psychological implications; the role of rites of passage in the transition to adulthood; an analysis of "First Love, Last Rites" as an initiation story; and McEwan's unique approach to depicting initiation and adolescence.
What is an initiation story, and what are its characteristics?
The paper defines and examines the characteristics of initiation stories in literature. It explores different definitions, distinguishing between those focusing on gaining knowledge about the external world and those emphasizing self-discovery and adaptation to society. The concept of "rites of passage," often implicit rather than explicit in literature, is discussed, along with categorizations of initiation stories based on their impact on the protagonist's maturity (tentative, uncompleted, decisive).
How does the paper analyze "First Love, Last Rites"?
The paper analyzes "First Love, Last Rites" by applying the framework of initiation stories. It examines how the story portrays the protagonist's journey through adolescence and their transition to adulthood, considering the psychological and emotional aspects of this process within the context of McEwan's writing style.
What is the structure of the paper?
The paper is structured as follows: an introduction setting the context and outlining the paper's objectives; a chapter on the anthropological and psychological aspects of initiation and adolescence; a chapter defining and characterizing initiation stories; a chapter dedicated to the analysis of "First Love, Last Rites"; and a conclusion. The paper also includes a table of contents and chapter summaries.
What background information on Ian McEwan is provided?
The introduction provides background information on Ian McEwan, his distinctive storytelling style, his exploration of unsettling themes (particularly in his short stories), his early career, and the themes of abnormal sexuality and dysfunctional family dynamics often present in his works. His biographical details and critical reception of his first short story collection, including the Somerset Maugham Award, are also discussed.
What sources does the paper utilize?
The paper draws upon various scholarly sources, including Webster's dictionary and Mordecai's article (the specific article is not named in the provided text) to define key terms and concepts related to initiation, adolescence, and initiation stories.
- 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
