Mr. Fox

“The Doc’s wife had been a good woman, so her body remained intact and she did not give off a smell of decay.”

The idea that being a “good woman” prevents decay reflects societal expectations placed on women to be virtuous, obedient, and pure, often associating their value with compliance. It underscores how women are often judged and controlled based on their perceived goodness, reinforcing the power dynamics and moral standards male characters like Dr. Lustucru impose.

“I looked at the walls as I ate my toast—everything was butter and marmalade. The blondest wood that Mitzi had been able to find, yellow countertops, yellow tablecloth, linoleum of the same colour but in such a shocking hue that I can never quite believe in it and constantly find myself walking or sitting with only my toes on the ground, never my full weight.”

The description of Mr. Cole’s house uses sensory language. The repetition of yellows evokes a sense of brightness and artificiality. The excessive use of yellow creates a discomfort for Mary, reflected in her reaction to it. The detail of “such a shocking hue” conveys that the intensity of the color is too much for her. The phrase “walking or sitting with only my toes on the ground” emphasizes a physical unease, as if Mary cannot fully ground herself in this space. This instability mirrors the broader narrative structure of the novel, where shifting storylines and blurred realities create a disorienting experience for the characters.

“I wish there was someone I could have written to after that, someone I could have written to explain how awful it was to have someone touch you, then look at you properly and change his mind.”

Mary’s response to Mr. Cole’s assault on her reveals complex and painful emotions. The situation is fraught with a paradox: On the one hand, Mary has been violated, as Mr. Cole groped her without consent; on the other hand, his decision to “change his mind” and not continue leaves her feeling a deep sense of rejection. The idea of being hurt by both the initial touch and the withdrawal highlights the conflicting emotions of anger, vulnerability, and the twisted sense of self-worth that such an encounter can evoke. Mary’s wish for someone to confide in underscores her isolation as she grapples with the dual sting of being objectified and discarded.

“Cold blew onto Mary Foxe’s blood, as if she had no skin at all.”

This remark reflects the complexity of Mary Foxe’s existence, blurring the line between reality and imagination. The imagery evokes a sense of vulnerability, emphasizing how Mary feels exposed and unprotected. The irony here lies in the fact that, as a figment of Mr. Fox’s imagination, Mary shouldn’t have a body or any physical sensation at all. The phrase “as if she had no skin” demonstrates that Mary feels like an illusion, as though she lacks the defining boundaries of a real person. However, this sensation also implies that she possesses some form of corporeality. The interplay between illusion and reality underscores the complexity of Mary’s character—she is both an entity Mr. Fox created and a force that transcends his control. This contrast contributes to The Relationship Between Authors and Their Characters.

“Evidently Mrs. Nash was not aware that in the language of flowers, azaleas meant ‘take care of yourself for me.’ A touching thought, but by giving a sick person a bunch of azaleas you were telling them that they were on their own.”

Miss Foxe’s awareness of the deeper, contradictory meaning of azaleas reflects the layered nature of the narrative, where things often carry hidden meanings or subvert surface-level interpretations. The misinterpretation of azaleas in this context highlights how easily people can misunderstand or misuse symbols. This underscores the novel’s exploration of how narrative elements carry complex, sometimes conflicting, meanings.

“She froze. She did not find it easy to be touched by Fitcher; she found her hand warming his and that though his hand was strong, it moved gently with hers.”

This quote captures the tension between desire and discomfort, highlighting Miss Foxe’s ambivalence toward intimacy. Her reaction reflects her fear and hesitation—Fitcher’s touch initially causes her to freeze, indicating an internal conflict about vulnerability and control. However, the fact that his hand moves “gently” with hers creates a paradoxical sense of both danger and tenderness, mirroring the complex duality of fairy tales, where the writer often blurs the line between safety and peril.

“They fought; their weapons were cakes of soap, suitcases, fists, and hardback encyclopaedias. There were injuries.”

These lines highlight the chaotic and destructive nature of the Yoruba woman and English man’s relationship. The ordinary domestic items symbolize how their toxic dynamic permeates mundane aspects of life, turning the home into a battleground, with everyday objects becoming weapons. The mention of “injuries” shows the physical and emotional toll of these fights, underscoring how conflict in a toxic relationship can escalate.

“He knew it was all coincidence—he told himself it was coincidence because it was horrifying to think that, having made a decision, he was now being actively prevented from changing it.”

The English man tries to rationalize the series of events as mere coincidences because the alternative is terrifying. This inner conflict reflects his struggle with accountability and the fear of losing control over his life. He is unwilling to face the possibility that his choices are binding and irreversible. This self-deception serves as a defense mechanism against anxiety and powerlessness. The line highlights the psychological complexity of denial and the lengths people go to maintain an illusion of autonomy.

“The words didn’t come easily. She put large spaces between some of them for fear they would attack one another.”

Helen Oyeyemi uses personification here to represent the internal conflict of the character as she struggles with writing. By giving the words the potential to “attack” each other, the text conveys the character’s anxiety about expression, as if her thoughts are so volatile that even words in proximity could cause harm. The technique of creating “large spaces” between words not only shows her cautious approach to language but also mirrors her emotional distance and fear of confrontation. This hesitation with language highlights the fragility of her mental state, reinforcing the instability and inner turmoil present throughout the novel.

“Thinking that the boys had been reduced to mere squabbling over aesthetics, the teachers relaxed.”

The Academy in “The Training at Madame de Silentio’s” turns stereotypical sexist views about girls onto boys. By assuming the boys are only concerned with “aesthetics,” the teachers reduce them to superficial, appearance-focused beings—traits often unfairly associated with women. Oyeyemi subverts expectations by applying these feminine stereotypes to male characters, thereby exposing the ridiculousness of such gendered societal assumptions.

“Women upset him. He said to me once that he hates their Ways, that from the moment he encounters one of them he’s forced to play a Role, and he won’t stand for it.”

Reynardine’s character embodies toxic masculinity. His hatred for women stems from the feeling that they force him to conform to a specific “Role”—one that he perceives as limiting and oppressive. In this way, Reynardine symbolizes a kind of rebellion against the norms of gendered behavior, but his rebellion is rooted in misogyny and violence. Reynardine externalizes his frustration onto women, blaming them for his discomfort. His character represents how toxic masculinity warps men’s relationships with women and themselves, manifesting in anger, resentment, and violence rather than self-reflection or change.

“You’re explaining things that can’t be defended, and the explanations themselves are mad, just bizarre—but you offer them with such confidence. It was because she kept the chain on the door; it was because he needed to let off steam after a hard day’s scraping and bowing at work; it was because she was irritating and stupid; it was because she lied to him, made a fool of him; it was because she had to die, she just had to, it makes dramatic sense; it was because ‘nothing is more poetic than the death of a beautiful woman’; it was because of this, it was because of that. It’s obscene to make such things reasonable.”

This quote directly addresses The Ethical Responsibility of Writers in Portraying Violence Against Women. Mary Foxe criticizes the absurd rationalizations Mr. Fox uses to justify the violent stories he tells about women. The passage lists a series of disturbing and dismissive excuses for depicting violence. This emphasizes how easily one can rationalize the unjustifiable when couched in narrative or artistic terms. This commentary calls attention to how literature often romanticizes or normalizes violence against women under the guise of dramatic necessity or poetic beauty. By offering these justifications with “confidence,” Mr. Fox represents the authors who perpetuate harmful tropes without fully grappling with their ethical implications. Mary’s challenge to this mindset highlights Oyeyemi’s broader critique of how storytelling too often sanitizes and makes violence palatable, particularly violence against women.

“It was the way he looked into my eyes, unfalteringly into my eyes, as he spoke to me and heard my replies. As close and as direct as the look exchanged when standing face-to-face after a kiss, or at the peak of a bad fight.”

Mary juxtaposes the intimacy of a kiss with the intensity of a fight, highlighting the complex emotional dynamics between her and Mr. Fox. The comparison highlights that deep connections, whether loving or conflict-driven, demand a level of direct engagement and vulnerability. Both acts are moments of raw emotions, and the use of this contrast emphasizes how closely intertwined intimacy and conflict are in their relationship, reinforcing the tension and volatility between them.

“I would like to have breakfast with you […] And I would like to have you defer a little to my tastes and habits—at present I have none because you haven’t given me any. I’d like to go to dinner parties and play charades. I’d like to have friends to lend me books and tell me secrets. I would like to have nothing to do with you for hours on end and then come back and find you, come back with things I’ve thought and found out all on my own—on my own, not through you. I’d like not to disappear when you’re not thinking about me.”

Mary’s desire for an independent identity is evident in her wish to exist beyond Mr. Fox’s imagination. She longs for autonomy—space to form her own thoughts, habits, and relationships—without being defined or limited by him. Her plea to “not disappear” when Mr. Fox isn’t thinking about her highlights her struggle against being a mere projection or figment of his narrative, reinforcing her need for self-assertion and individuality outside his control. This desire contributes to Subverting Traditional Gender Roles and the “Damsel in Distress” Trope.

“The next day’s noon came like a blazing hoop, and the sun spat razor blades through it. People did what they had to to keep from wilting.”

This excerpt heavily uses literary devices to vividly establish the harshness of the setting. The simile comparing noon to a “blazing hoop” and the personification of the sun “spitting razor blades” convey the oppressive heat, creating a tangible sense of discomfort. The efficient use of imagery reflects Oyeyemi’s style, where settings often shift abruptly.

“If someone tells me something and then says, ‘Well, you’d better remember that because in three months’ time I’m going to make a decision about you based on whether you’ve remembered or not,’ then it’s all over and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Oyeyemi further characterizes Daphne through her reflections on her academic history. She is portrayed as self-conscious about her ability to meet expectations. The line also serves as a satirical commentary on academic arrogance—the absurdity of testing worth based on arbitrary memory tests mocks the idea of knowledge being used as a tool of superiority. It underscores Daphne’s feelings of inadequacy in a world that values academic and intellectual success, fields from which women have been historically excluded or undervalued.

“Provided the world continues to exist, provided conditions remain favourable, or at lease tolerable, our child will have a child and that child will have a child, and so on, and with all those children of children come the inevitability that glimpses of my husband will resurface, in their features, in the way they use their bodies, a fearless swinging of the arms as they walk.”

This remark reflects the narrator’s contemplation of legacy and the continuity of human traits passed down through generations. It emphasizes the persistence of identity and that physical and behavioral qualities of loved ones live on in descendants—evidenced here by glimpses of the narrator’s husband resurfacing in others’ features or actions. This reflection captures the human desire for connection across time, highlighting the subtle ways people are remembered through their children.

“He didn’t argue, but he didn’t apologise. He felt he’d spoken the truth, so he didn’t need to argue or apologise.”

The novel portrays the scrawny as arrogant and entitled, despite his kindness, reflecting the stereotype that men, especially those in a position of power, struggle to apologize. His refusal to acknowledge any fault, even when confronted, emphasizes that he values his perspective above others’. This behavior highlights a broader commentary on male authority figures who feel their actions and words are justified simply because they believe in them. This reinforces a patriarchal mindset where individuals see apologies as a weakness rather than a necessary part of communication, especially to acknowledge past hurts.

“Love will never be real, or if it is, it has no power. No power. There’s only covetousness, and if what we covet can’t be won with gentle words—and often it can’t—then there is force.”

Mr. Fox’s comments on love show that he has not changed. He has a cynical view of love, viewing it as powerless compared to desire and control. His belief that covetousness, not love, drives human behavior indicates his deeply ingrained tendency toward manipulation and dominance. The reference to “force” underscores his willingness to resort to aggression when gentle persuasion fails, reinforcing the darker aspects of his character.

“I wanted to see a smile on her face—some people make you want to see them smiling.”

Daphne begins to appreciate Mary for who she is rather than seeing her solely as a rival for Mr. Fox’s affection. The shift in Daphne’s perspective—from feeling threatened by Mary to wanting to see her happy—signals a growing empathy between the two women. Their connection becomes more meaningful as Daphne comes to see Mary as an individual. The women are moving from competitiveness and jealousy to solidarity and connection.

“Mr. Fox was decent in those times. He did what he could, and he was as decent and brave as he could be.”

Mary’s description of Mr. Fox subtly deepens their history, showing the complexity of their relationship and alluding to the reasons why Mary continues to care for him despite his flaws. Mary’s recollection of Mr. Fox’s decency shows her belief that there is a good man within him, someone who is capable of bravery and kindness. Her memories of his past behavior contribute to her faith in his potential, and this motivates her to push him toward self-reflection and growth.

“It appeared to be smiling, but that was just a meaningless expression created by the look of its muzzle.”

In the final chapter, the fox approaching the little girl represents Mr. Fox, and the illusion of his smile represents Mr. Fox’s manipulativeness. The “smile” is misleading. It conveys a false sense of friendliness or trustworthiness, yet it doesn’t hold this real meaning. The expression is an illusion, much like Mr. Fox’s charm and control over the women in his life. He manipulates others by masking his true intentions behind a benign demeanor. Ultimately, his actions are self-serving and dangerous, both intentionally and unintentionally.

“I’ve said that foxes are solitary, but there’s a difference between having no one because you’ve chosen it and having no one because everyone has been taken away.”

This line implies that the fox, symbolic of Mr. Fox, is pitiable. His isolation is not a matter of choice but is a consequence of prior events. It emphasizes how Mary, who once believed in his potential, acknowledges the loneliness that comes with Mr. Fox’s inability to maintain meaningful relationships. This reflects the deeper emotional distance between Mr. Fox and the women in his life, who he tries to control and manipulate, driving them away.