The conflicts among the family in James Gordon Bennett's "A Perfect Mousse Ducktail" illustrate the short story's characters. The reader is afforded a great deal of insight from the narrator, a boy who is struggles as he tries to cope with the issues of growing and also pleasing his father. Conversely, the violent conflicts between the mother and father, as seen from the eyes of the narrator, exemplify the schism that exists between the couple. In "A Perfect Mousse Ducktail," the father is engrossed in all conflicts in the short story, which reflect upon all three members of the family.
             The young narrator of "A Perfect Mousse Ducktail" is distraught about his relationship with his father as he goes through adolescence. In the opening sentence, he says that he is "a keen disappointment to Daddy." The son admires his father as a Vietnam veteran, longing to live up to his standards. He is fond of imagining his father leading the troops through the tropical jungles of Vietnam while bragging about his newborn baby son. But the boy's seemingly effeminate nature and partiality for women's wear cause him to be insecure of his bond with his 'daddy,' who is a masculine war hero. The father calls the boy a "momma's boy" and tells him he needs some "poontail" - he even tries to coerce the boy to have sex with his mistress. The boy's relationship with his father impacts him dramatically. The narrator is very concerned with external appearances - the title stems from his preoccupation with attaining the perfect hairstyle. He becomes much closer with his mother; who dotes on the boy throughout the story. The narrator is confused with his sexuality. He wears women's clothing because of his sexual confusion. His strong desire to impress the father has an adverse effect on the boy, who indicates that he takes several medications to deal with the ...