In Miss MacIntosh, My Darling by Marguerite Young themes of authoritarianism and fascism surface primarily through its portrayal of societal decay, the oppressive atmosphere surrounding the characters, and the symbolic figures that represent power, control, and resistance. Young lived through all these periods in American history and the entire book is her symbolic take on what was happening in the world.

Atmosphere of Oppression and Decay
The novel is set in a decaying environment filled with shadowy figures, oppressive social orders, and a pervasive sense of doom and disintegration. The descriptions of the house with its ruined balconies, broken cornices, and haunted halls echo the collapse of old social orders and the rise of authoritarian control. The oppressive atmosphere, with servants reflecting the hallucinatory dreams of the household and characters like Miss MacIntosh standing as a figure of practical resistance, symbolizes the tension between control and chaos.

Characters Reflecting Social and Political Turmoil
Several characters embody facets of authoritarianism and resistance to it. For example, Miss MacIntosh, the practical nursemaid, represents grounded common sense and moral clarity, standing against the illusions and chaotic dreams that permeate the novel. She disapproves of aristocratic excess and unstable imaginations, emphasizing duty, discipline, and resistance to self-destruction. Catherine lives in an opium-induced coma surrounded by dreams and hallucinations, symbolic of the escapism and decay under authoritarian regimes.

Critique of Social and Political Systems
The novel’s critique is apparent in the depiction of characters such as Moses and Mr. Weed who express disillusionment with political corruption and social injustice. Moses, a lifelong Republican, bitterly comments on the failures of government programs and political machinations, reflecting a loss of trust in political authority and the rise of reactionary attitudes. Mr. Weed discusses the death of Christian civilization and the rise of a society filled with violence, corruption, and moral decay. His grim reflections on justice, execution, and social order reveal the dark consequences of authoritarian rule and social breakdown.

Symbolic Representations of Power and Resistance
Cousin Hannah Freemount-Snowden is a potent symbol of militant suffrage and resistance to patriarchal and authoritarian forces. She is portrayed as a warrior figure, battling against kings, despots, and social constraints with courage and unyielding spirit, traversing deserts and mountains, challenging established power structures. Her relentless activism and refusal to submit to male dominance symbolize the struggle against authoritarianism and the fight for freedom and equality. Her eventual decline and death also suggest the costs and complexities of resistance within oppressive systems.

Fascism and Totalitarian Imagery
The novel includes vivid imagery of political and social control, such as references to the “Emperor Constantine” who changed the calendar, symbolizing imposed ideological control and manipulation of truth. There are also descriptions of “head-hunters,” “black coachmen,” and “spectral armies” that evoke the presence of oppressive, forces lurking within the narrative’s surreal landscape. The oppressive surveillance and control over individuals, the blurring of reality and illusion, and the presence of secret detectives tracking movements and histories reflect the mechanisms of authoritarian regimes.

The Illusion of Control and the Persistence of Chaos:
Despite the efforts of characters like Mr. Spitzer trying to maintain order in the face of chaos, and Miss MacIntosh, the practical nursemaid, the novel suggests that authoritarian control is ultimately fragile. The persistent presence of dreams, illusions, and ghostly figures challenges the stability of imposed order. The novel’s narrative structure, with its overlapping realities and shifting perspectives, underscores the elusiveness of power and the persistence of resistance.

In general, the novel addresses authoritarianism and fascism by illustrating the tension between oppressive social and political forces and the human desire for freedom, sanity, and moral order. Through its richly symbolic characters and surreal settings, the novel critiques the corruption, violence, and decay inherent in authoritarian regimes, while also highlighting the complexities and costs of resistance. The interplay between reality and illusion serves as a metaphor for the deceptive appearances and underlying truths of power and control in such systems.

Specifically, we should never forget that authoritarianism (no matter what it’s secular or religious disguise) is ultimately about the absolute control of women and children. They are property nothing more and nothing less. There health and well-being is assured as long as they conform and do the required tasks.

Authoritarianism is incapable of nuance or context or humor.

Hating and controlling women is a given.

So lets take it one step further and state they absolutely do not care about children. There guise of protecting children is a bald-faced lie.

They want all fetuses to be born regardless of the mother’s life or health. Here’s what radicalized me: In Texas, doctors in a hospital watched a woman/mother/wife die for FORTY HOURS because her unviable fetus (that they knew was unviable) had a heartbeat. That faint heartbeat was more important than the life of a woman. If she had lived she still would have been left sterile and permanently disabled.

They are perfectly willing to orphan children.

They do not want to feed all children.

They don’t want all children to receive care.

They don’t want all children to be housed.

They don’t want all children to be clothed.

They don’t want all children to be educated.

… it is all a lie. They say they want all children to thrive but the authoritarian/fascist state wants to DECIDE which children they idolize.

It isn’t non-binary children. They can die and be denied care.

It isn’t neurodivergent children. They are sick and must be cured or denied care.

It isn’t marginalized people or ethnically/culturally different people. They can die and be denied care right through to adulthood and mothers. In fact, they die in greater numbers before the official retirement age and during/after pregnancy.

They will have a laundry list of those that are not worthy of being cared for so why should they be trusted to care for anyone?

Yong stressed throughout Miss MacIntosh, My Darling compassion, humor (even if it’s dark), empathy, and for me gentleness. Tread lightly because you don’t know and you don’t know what you don’t know.

Authoritarianism wants to make order out of chaos. It is a lie since there is no controlling chaos. At most you can channel it.

Young also stresses resilience: be strong in the face of everything that is thrown at you because it will pass.

Spite survive and be happy!