"Life is hard, you're just afraid of change," is what the late, great Shannon Hunh, of Blind Melon, wrote, and it is just how Larry feels in Frank O'Connor's, "My Oedipus Complex." In this short story, Larry, a five year old boy obsessed with his mother, suddenly sees a drastic change in his life when his father returns home from war. The tension between father and son grow until yet another change, ironically, brings them closer together. As a result of his Father's return, Larry shows signs of jealousy, immaturity, and plain rudeness. When the reader hears the story through Larry's perspective, there is definitely a connection and understanding of what is going on. The reader feels sympathy, amusement and gratification. Change comes to hurt Larry at the beginning, but another change helps him and his father more than he knows.
             As the story is told by Larry, it is easily seen that he has no idea of what or who a Father is supposed to do. He becomes jealous of this stranger who suddenly steals his Mother's love and attention away from him. Larry is used to seeing this man in a Santa suit, but on the day of his return he changes into a blue suit. Mother seems happier than ever, but Larry's feelings are mixed. "I saw nothing to be pleased about, because out of uniform, Father was altogether less interesting, but she only beamed and explained that our prayers had been answered..." (436). Larry does not quite understand what this means. He does not know what he is in for. As a result of his immaturity Larry begins to compete, as only a five-year-old would know how. Larry tries competing for Mother's love and attention with Father's newspapers. "I was prepared to compete with him anytime for Mother's attention, but when he had it all made up for him by other people it left me no chance" (437). Larry is the only one e
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