Masculinity and Pornography in Martin Amis’s London Fields

Abstract

The portrayal of masculinity has been a predominant theme in Martin Amis’s fiction, which, in the case of London Fields, triggered a wave of fierce criticism from feminist circles, most notably from Maggie Gee and Val Hennessy. According to these critics, this controversial “bloke” novel is a mere misogynistic caricature aimed to reduce the role of women to objects of the infamous male gaze. However, this paper argues that the depiction of male characters, especially the working-class Keith Talent, conjures an image of a helpless man so strongly driven by the insatiable sexual appetites, which eventually leads to his downfall caused by a disturbingly powerful femme fatale, Nicola Six. The tragicomic epitome of a promiscuous woman by choice, Six transforms herself into a perfect pornographic material for Keith Talent by inviting him to masturbate to her self-made videos. Apart from frequent mentions of sexual acts, the novel presents a thought-provoking view on pornography: Talent perceives reality through the lens of pornographic frames. This analysis is further complemented by Amis’s own behind-the-scenes research into the world of pornography business. Additionally, the characterisation of Keith Talent is examined against the leading theories dealing with the representation of masculinity in contemporary literature. The scrutiny of the relationship between masculinity and pornography in London Fields has not been extensively studied, therefore an analysis combining these closely related issues in London Fields may contribute to a more specific interpretation of Amis’s repulsive, yet strangely intriguing protagonist.