Oh, boy…where do I even begin? I mean it was definitely an interesting read but, I won’t lie, it did make my stomach turn at some point. From the overly sexual descriptions of his mother to the racism to the overall underlying misogynistic tone of the book, Alberto Moravia’s Agostino never failed to disturb and shock me in the most entertaining ways. Moravia’s Agostino follows a 13-year-old boy and his mother as they vacation on the Italian seaside, focusing on his “unique” relationship with his mother as he discovers his sexuality and begins to flourish and mature.
To begin, Agostino and his recently widowed mother are enjoying each other’s company on the beach, taking rides on the pattino, and swimming in the Italian sea. As his mother strikes up a relationship with a younger man, Renzo, Agostino begins to feel increasingly jealous. Not only does this jealously arise due to his time with his mother being shortened, but because, to Agostino, his mother held a very specific role in his life, one that (I hope) not many others share. As strange as it is, Agostino is constantly in admiration of her beauty and her body, and as he traverses this journey of sexual maturation and growth, his mother is often at the centre of it. When he encounters a group of thuggish children, matters are only made worse for Agostino as they shamelessly talk about his mother in an uncomfortably over-sexualized way, sullying Agostino’s image of her. Agostino’s naiveté and overall innocence drives him towards learning about whatever it is that everyone is alluding to, as he has yet to understand people as sexual beings. This curiously leads him to spy on his mother as she undresses, visit a brothel, and even skinny-dip with his friends.
As much I understand the concept that Moravia is going for (the transition out of/loss of innocence, development of sexuality/sexual identity, maturing, etc.), I cant help but ask, “Why did he have to make his mother the main focus of it?!” This weird, incestuous undertone within the entire book only brought me out of it and stopped me from connecting to and immersing my within the book for a better understanding. I also cant help but think that Agostino is not learning about sexuality and emerging into adolescence but rather about the constant objectification and sexualization of women that not even his own mother can escape.
Having said that, my question for this week is:…Is this book showcasing a boy’s flourishing sense of sexuality and maturity or is he just being indoctrinated by the patriarchy and its over-sexualization of all women?
Hi Giaan! To answer your question I believe, “Augustino” challenges readers to consider whether the protagonist’s journey is genuinely an investigation of sexuality and maturity, or if cultural conventions that uphold the objectification and oversexualization of women have a greater influence. Agostino’s sexual awakening and growth are depicted in the story, but the widespread impact of patriarchal attitudes toward women—including his mother—raises concerns about the veracity and significance of his experiences. Your blog definitely made me look at this book from a different lens!
Great post! I like that you briefly made a point about the racism and misogyny in the book, along with the sexualization of the mother because I feel like most people, including myself, have been solely focusing on the sexualization of the mother. I connected especially with when you asked why Moravio had to make the mother the main focus of Agostino’s maturing, because I too found myself asking that throughout the reading.
Hi Giann, to answer your question, I think I am leaning toward the idea that the novel is showcasing Agostino’s exploration of sexuality and identity. Agostino is exposed to a new world marked by maturity, introduced by the gang of boys, and this process is definitely not a smooth transition for him. While I agree that the boys do make sexist comments about women (particularly his mother) in a casual way, there are several scenes where Agostino struggles with how he should perceive his mother as he is torn between the newfound, sexualized lens, as well as his image of a mother figure. Overall, I think the novel tackles more with Agostino’s identity.
– Janae
“From the overly sexual descriptions of his mother to the racism”
You know, I think the book’s treatment of race (which we hardly discussed either in the blogs or in class) is in fact quite a bit more disturbing than its treatment of sex or sexuality.