A Study Of The Father-Son Relationship In Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections

Jonathan Franzen,a major American writer,achieved his fame with the publication of The Corrections(2001).So far,most critical studies on the fiction have concentrated on the narrative techniques,gender analysis,and national identity.The scholars have examined greatly on the “patricide complex” in this fiction.At the second half of the 20 thcentury,the Cold War,hedonism and consumerism,all have an influence on masculinity crisis and the anxiety of fatherhood in American culture.In the context of the economic and social transition in America,this fiction can clearly present the inner family relationship and masculinities via psychoanalysis and men's studies.Fatherhood is a product of social culture connected with American Puritanism,which shapes the fatherhood of Alfred strengthened to hegemonic masculinity.His strictness in work and disciplines in the family presents that the American culture is governed by patriarchal ideology of Puritanism.In order to obtain the patriarchal dividend,Gary,the son,internalizes his father's Puritan ideology to construct complicit masculinity.However,Gary's anxiety arising during his internalization shows that Puritanism is undergoing crisis.At the family level,Alfred's fatherhood is shocked by both internal factors,like physical diseases,and external factors,like social transformation that highlights the fluidity of fatherhood.Meanwhile,under the influence of fatherhood,Chip's rebellion and recognition of fatherhood reveal the cultural diversity of masculinities.Fatherhood is not so much personality as the nationality.In the transition of American society from traditional capitalism to “technocapitalism”,father-son relationship is a metaphor for transition and transformation of American society.Alfred whose image is undermined by modern culture,stands for American traditional economy and culture,while despite the pleasure brought by modern culture,Gary and Chip are trapped in the anxiety caused by masculinities.The dynamic development of father-son relationship reflects Franzen's exploration of the national identity and cultural orientation of the United States.The father-son relationship and fluidity of masculinities in The Corrections reveal the influence of social and cultural factors and reflect on the transformation of American economic structure and value.For this reason,it can be concluded that the father-son relationship is a metaphor for the conflict and a comprise between the oldand new American social structures and values.