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overprotective, dominant mothers and passive or absent fathers are slightly more likely to be gay p. 376. Based on the conversation between Maurice and his
mother, Mrs. Hall, and supported by the theory proposed, it can be concluded that Mrs. Hall has been a person who influences him to be homosexual. Mrs. Hall is an
overprotective mother, especially to Maurice. She also dominates her family since her husband is dead. Further
, Maurice tends to have his mother‘s characteristics, which are caring and sensitive.
2. Sociopsychological Factors
Thomas 1990 states that from the sociopsychological perspective, the first influence could occur if there is no father in the home and the boy is raised
solely by his mother who becomes the models he copies p. 374. As said before that Maurice lives with his mother and two sisters. He has no father or other older
male which leaves him without a model of masculinity. Even, his grandfather stays in different town and they just visit him rarely.
―You live with your mother, don‘t you?‖ he interrupted, seeing that the boy had gained confidence.
―Yes, sir.‖ ―Have you any elder brothers?‖
―No, sir-only Ada and Kitty.‖ ―Any uncles?‖
―No.‖ ―So, you don‘t know many men?‖
―Mother keeps a coachman and George in the garden, but of course you mean gentlemen. Mother has three maid-servants to look after the house,
but they are so idle that they will not me nd Ada‘s stockings. Ada is my
eldest little sister.‖ p.13.
Thomas 1990 adds that a second influence can be peers, such as fellow students in a male boarding school or in the case of a sailor, shipmates on a long
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sea voyage that offers no opportunities for heterosexual relationships p. 374. This also happens to Maurice. He continues his study to Sunnington, a male
boarding college. It shows that lack of female companionship leads to the assumption that male is the more suitable candidate for having romantic
relationship. He chose a college patronized by his chief school friend Chapman and by
other old Sunningtonians, and during his first year managed to experience little in University life that was unfamiliar. He belonged to an Old Boys‘
Club, and they played games together, tea‘d and lunched together, kept up
their provincialisms and slang, sat elbow to elbow in hall, and walked arm in arm about the streets. Now and then they got drunk and boasted
mysteriously about women, but their outlook remained that of the upper fifth, and some of them kept it through life. There was no feud between
them and the other undergraduates, but they were too compact to be popular, too mediocre to lead, and they did not care to risk knowing men
who had come from other public schools. All this suited Maurice p. 28.
Further, Jim Smith, in his book Abnormal Behaviour: Outline References proposes six types of homosexual. Maurice cannot be classified specifically and
exactly into one of the type, however, ―secret homosexual‖ is the most appropriate
and closely describe Maurice. Jim Smith 1983 explains that the members of secret homosexuals try to conceal their homosexuality p. 139. Whereas,
Coleman 1976 adds that they maintain a masculine appearance p. 591. Based on the fact and supported by the theories, as a homosexual, Maurice can be
categorized as ―secret homosexuals‖. It is because he tries to conceal his
homosexuality from his family and friends. Maurice studies in a college for boys and lives in a dormitory. He likes to
have discussions with Clive in his room. They even show their emotion through physical affair, but they tend to hide it from their friends. They pretend that they
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just have a normal discussion as usual and suddenly do something else when their other friends come.
Now Durham stretched up to him, stroked his hair. They clasped one another. They were lying breast again breast soon, head was on shoulder,
but just as their cheeks met someone called ―Hall‖ from the court, and he answered: when people called. Both started violently, and Durham sprang
to the mantelpiece where he leant his head on his arm. Absurd people came thundering up the stairs. They wanted tea. Maurice pointed to it, then
was drawn into their conversation, and scarcely notices
his friend‘s departure. It had been an ordinary talk, he told himself, but too
sentimental, and he cultivated a breeziness against their next meeting p.57.
When Clive has a dinner with Maurice‘s family, he suddenly faints and falls off his chair, Maurice so worries with Clive condition and as Clive speaks,
Maurice kisses him. Maurice‘s mother is with him when he kisses Clive but Maurice says to his mother not to tell the others and convinces her that they are
just friend. Mrs. Hall knocked, and going ou
t to her, he said quickly, ―Mother, you needn‘t tell the other I kissed Durham.‖
―Oh, certainly not‖ ―He wouldn‘t like it. I was rather upset and did it without thinking. As you
know, we are great friends, relations almost.‖ pp. 102-103.
Maurice does not agree when a doctor sends a nurse to cure Clive. He tries to convince his mother and the doctor not to allow the nurse to come. Actually,
Maurice is jealous but he tries to conceal it by saying that he is better to nurse Clive. However, they do not listen to him and it makes him so annoyed.
―I won‘t have a nurse.‖ ―Mrs. Hall has telephoned to the Institute.‖
―Why is everything done in such a damned hurry?‖ said Maurice, raising his vo
ice. ―I shall nurse him myself‖ p.104. ―Nurses are not nice. No nice girl would be a nurse. If they are you may be
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sure they do not come from nice home s, or they would stop at home‖
p.106.
When Maurice does not meet Clive for a couple of days, he misses him so much. He wants to hug and kiss Clive. However, he chooses not to reveal his
longing in front of his family. ―He slipped it off as soon as they were alone, and came up smiling. ―So
yo u don‘t love me?‖ he challenged p.124.
Although Maurice is a member of homosexuals, his appearance is like a heterosexual man. He tri
es not to attract other‘s attention by not showing his homosexual preference. He behaves just like a man usually behaves.
He did the usual things-was kept in, once caned, rose from form to form on the classical side till he clung precariously to the sixth, and he became a
house perfect, and later a school prefect and member of the first fifteen. Though clumsy, he had strength and physical pluck: at cricket he did not
do so well. Having been bullied as a new boy, he bullied others when they seemed unhappy or weak, not because he was cruel but because it was the
proper thing to do p.20.
In his family, Mrs. Hall, his mother, trusts Maurice. She lets him in charge at home. His mother considers him to be able to do any
man‘s work. At home, Maurice has an authority because he is the only man at his home
No one worried Maurice. He had established his power at home, and his mother began to speak of him in the tones she had reserved for her
husband. He was not only the son of the house, but more of a personage than had been expected. He kept the servants in order, understood the car,
subscribed to this and not to that, tabooed certain of the girls‘ acquaintances. By twenty-three he was a promising suburban tyrant,
whose rule was the stronger because it was fairly just and mild pp. 99- 100.
From all the description above, we can see that Maurice tries to conceal his
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homosexuality from his friends and his family. He also behaves and dresses like a common gentleman. He feels ashamed if people know about his condition. He is
aware that homosexuality is considered a taboo in his country at that time and people will disapprove it.
C. Maurice’s Character Development as a Homosexual
