Agostino and the loss of his innocence

The most glaring theme from this reading that I think most of us will have noticed is the theme of sexuality and loss of innocence. We understand that at the beginning Agostino loves his mother very much. Some of you may argue that he loves her sexually at first but I don’t think this is the case. From what I could tell the love of his mother is connected to the pride that he feels of being her son. He talks about how feels the other people on the beach are jealous of him because his mother was beautiful and in her prime. Although this may seem like he is coming off like he is attracted to his mother I believe it is more the honour to have a mother who others admire. Furthermore when his mother undresses and bathes in the sun he doesn’t at all think of looking at her.

“Not only did her think of never turning around but he felt as if her body, lying there behind him, naked in the sun, shrouded in a mystery to which we owed the greatest veneration” (p.5).

The story takes a turn when a man approaches her mother and asks to take her on a bat ride which she agrees to Agostino’s surprise. This action brings on a new feeling of jealousy for the time and attention that the mother gives this new man. I’d still argue this is quite innocent and rather, the son is experiencing the sadness of his loss of intimate and alone time with his mother. I think this feeling is actually normal (but probably not healthy) for young children who are quite attached to their parent. Agostino is finding it hard to share the attention of his mother with another person probably because he is used to all having it all himself.

Agostino then meets a boy who introduces him to his friends. This begins the journey of Agostino’s loss of his innocence. The boys make fun of Agostino for his close relationship to his mom to which he doesn’t understand why. This the point where Agostino learns what sex is. Later on, Agostino is in his house and he goes to his mother’s room. This is the weird part. He watches her getting undressed and experiences opposing feelings of “repulsion and attraction” and “astonishment and pleasure”. Before Agostino would never even think to look at his mother while she is naked but suddenly things have changed after what he has learned from the boys. I also interpret this moment to be when he no longer respects her mother and actually begins to sexualze and objectify her.

“She’s a woman, nothing more than a woman, in words that seemed simultaneously to strike, disdain, andinsult her back and legs” (p. 24).

In some ways I don’t really blame Agostino even though what he is doing is really weird and wrong. I think what went wrong is that the boys jokes and attitudes on women (especially his mother) began influencing him heavily. I think this can be attributed to a culture of objectifying and sexualizing women that can be reinforced in groups of boys.

I feel like I have so much more to unpack on this topic but I leave with this question for you.

Do you think it was the fault of Agostino’s mother for sheltering him or should the blame be put on the young boys for perpetuating misogynistic beliefs around Agostino?