The Man Who Loved
Children is a disturbing novel written by Christina Stead.
The story is told from
the perspective of Louie, the eldest child of the naturalist Sam Pollit. The setting is in Washington but draws heavily on the Australian childhood of the author.
As Louie enters adolescence, the immature and psychological cruelty of her
father becomes more and more apparent to her. She is not the only victim, but everyone in the family, including her embattled stepmother, Henny. She even feels sympathy for the negative effect it had on Henny, who used to be kind and gentle.
Louie is concern for her brood of half-sisters and frustrated that she cannot do anything about it. She is appalled by their father's monstrous control, foul family language, and the kind of breeding that the family is subjected to.
Henny, extremely frustrated by poverty, the demands of the
children, and her trapped marriage, becomes depressed, violent, and even suicidal. Louie finds comfort in an intense relationship with Clare, her schoolfriend.
Finally, as a desperate attempt to carve her own life, Louie runs away. This novel draws the attention of the readers on the horrors of family life and the effect on each family member.