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"Breaking Through the Frozen Wall"

© Dennis Cox

The Gay Male in Fiction:

Article: “Breaking Through the Frozen Wall” Editor: Dennis Cox

The illicit relationship between an older man and a younger man has been explored throughout the history of gay literature. The inherent drama of two gay males breaking through what I call the “frozen wall” of societal norms, implacable laws and psychological repression has provided writers with fertile fields to harvest. Man-boy love is doubly cursed by our society. First, homosexuality is considered by many to be a violation of nature and Judeo-Christian laws. Second, add pederasty as a fetish and you have the perceived rape of boyhood and an aggressive interruption of the maturation into manhood. A most recent examination of this dynamic is Paul Russell’s novel “The Coming Storm”. Twenty five year old Tracy Parker would prefer to have a lover relationship with a man his own age. Unfortunately, he has not been lucky in love. One of his “friends”, Devin, would seem a likely candidate; he is exactly the same age, gorgeous, buffed and an expert in bed. However, Devin is superficial and mocking and inconveniently has a lover. With him, Taylor ruefully settles for purely physical and clandestine relationship. Then there’s the older man in Taylor’s life. Arthur, (or as his intimates call him: “Queen Arthurina”) is the sardonic advisor to Taylor in matters of the heart. Tracy has numerous trysts over many years with Arthur, but unfortunately Arthur is battling AIDs and his T cell count is losing. Add to this that Arthur prefers promiscuous sex without commitments and emotion, Taylor perceives that here is another less than ideal mate. Enter fifteen year old Noah Lathrop III, a student at the upper class New York boys school where Tracy teaches. Tracy senses that the boy is alienated from his immature dormates and his tyrannical father. He encourages Noah to visit him at his home for overnighters and to “baby-sit” his dog. The chaste bond between a nurturing mentor and a troubled yet precocious virgin begins to disintegrate in a superb scene in Taylor’s kitchen where Noah teasingly provokes his reluctant friend into a wrestling match. Amazed at the boy’s audacity, Tracy recognizes that he should call a halt to the clambering but Noah aggressively persists. In the midst of their grappling on the linoleum floor, Noah’s shirt comes untucked and in surrender to his irresistible desire, Taylor presses his palm for the first time against smooth adolescent flesh. Taylor is careful to make the pressure seem like a push rather than a caress.

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