Mr. Fox

Mr. Fox, by British-Nigerian author Helen Oyeyemi, was first published in 2011. Known for her expertise in weaving folklore and fairy tale elements into contemporary fiction, Oyeyemi explores themes of identity, authorship, and relationships. In Mr. Fox, she crafts a genre-blending narrative that sits at the intersection of literary fiction, fantasy, and postmodernism. The novel examines the dynamics between a male writer, Mr. Fox, and his muse, Mary Foxe. The text delves into issues of gender, power, and the ethical responsibility of authors, especially in portraying violence against women. Rich with intertextuality and allusions to classic fairy tales like Bluebeard (1697), the novel challenges traditional narrative structures while addressing the subversion of gender roles and the complex relationship between authors and their characters.

This guide uses the e-book version of Mr. Fox, published in 2011 by Riverhead Books.

Content Warning: The source material contains depictions of domestic abuse, violence against women, murder, suicide, and sexual assault.

Plot Summary

Mr. Fox follows the tangled relationships between a writer, Mr. St. John Fox; his wife, Daphne; and his muse, Mary Foxe, exploring the blurred lines between fiction and reality. The novel opens with Mr. Fox working on his stories in his study. His wife, Daphne, is upstairs, and his imaginary muse, Mary Foxe, returns after a seven-year absence. Mary, a creation of Mr. Fox’s, confronts him about the violent way he treats his female characters, accusing him of being a “serial killer” of women in his writing. Mr. Fox brushes off her accusations, saying it’s only fiction and claiming she takes things too seriously. This sparks an ongoing conversation between Mr. Fox and Mary, who challenges him to change how he writes about women.

The novel is structured as a series of interconnected stories, both written by Mr. Fox and involving his interactions with Mary and Daphne. The stories Mr. Fox writes are often dark, violent, and filled with harmful depictions of women. However, with Mary’s influence, these stories become increasingly self-reflective, forcing Mr. Fox to reckon with his artistic choices and the consequences of his portrayals of women.

One of the first stories, “Dr. Lustucru,” follows a man who beheads his wife but keeps her head and body in a room intended to be a nursery. He later regrets his decision and tries to reattach her head. His wife starts talking about war, and when the man tries to decapitate her again, he fails. The wife escapes, and the man lives in fear of her return, but she never comes back. Mr. Fox soon realizes that he is the story’s beheader, and Mary is the wife.

Meanwhile, Daphne begins to feel more disconnected from Mr. Fox. Their marriage is strained, as Daphne senses her husband’s emotional absence. She suspects that he is having an affair but does not realize that Mary Foxe, the woman she feels threatened by, is an imaginary creation. Daphne’s insecurity grows, leading to her desire to assert herself and escape from her feelings of inadequacy.

Oyeyemi then introduces the story of a Yoruba woman and her English husband. The woman wishes for her husband’s death, and he dies soon after. She sacrifices her ability to have children to bring him back to life, but he is angry about being revived and abandons her in Paris. The woman encounters another named Blue, who claims the Englishman is meant for her and convinces the Yoruba woman to forget him.

Daphne’s journey becomes central when the novel shifts entirely to her perspective. She spends a day in bed, reflecting on her relationship with Mr. Fox. At one point, she tries to test whether he will notice if she doesn’t leave the bed, but he does not pay attention. Instead, he is preoccupied with his writing and his interactions with Mary. Daphne’s frustration with Mr. Fox grows, but when Mary arrives and begins to bond with her, Daphne’s feelings become more conflicted. Though she initially sees Mary as a threat, she starts to empathize with her. When Mary arrives nude, suggesting Mr. Fox has punished her by taking away her clothes, Daphne offers her clothing. A growing connection between the two women begins. The two laugh and enjoy each other’s company, further complicating Daphne’s emotional turmoil, as she still resents Mary for “taking” her husband. However, she also begins to see her as a kindred spirit, both of them affected by Mr. Fox’s manipulations.

As Mr. Fox continues to grapple with Mary’s challenges, he attempts to write less violent stories, but his unresolved inner conflicts undermine his efforts. In one story, a fox brings berries to a girl, which ultimately leads to her death.

Throughout the novel, Mr. Fox’s ability to control the narrative diminishes. Mary, who initially seems like a figment of his imagination, begins to gain autonomy. She challenges his authority as an author and forces him to confront the consequences of his storytelling. Daphne, too, begins to assert herself, moving from a passive role in her marriage to an active participant in her own life. She confronts Mr. Fox about his emotional absence and threatens to leave him. Daphne and Mr. Fox agree to start again, but the future of their relationship remains uncertain.

The novel’s final chapter presents two symbolic stories about foxes. In the first, a fox leaves berries for a girl, who eats them and dies from poisoning. In the second story, a fox tries to become something other than a fox, seeking to transform into a human.

The conclusion of the novel leaves many questions unresolved. Mary announces her plans to travel to Mexico, telling Daphne that she will return one day, but only if Mr. Fox changes his ways. Daphne is left contemplating her future with Mr. Fox, unsure whether he is capable of the transformation that Mary demands. Meanwhile, Mr. Fox, though still emotionally conflicted, shows signs of understanding the harm he has caused. The novel ends on an ambiguous note, with Daphne and Mr. Fox standing together at the lighthouse where Mary left a note. Mr. Fox’s future, both as a writer and a husband, is left in question as he contemplates the power and responsibility that come with creating stories.