The First Bad Man Summary
Miranda July

The First Bad Man Overview

The First Bad Man by Miranda July is a novel telling the story of a woman, Cheryl Glickman, who is struggling with globus hystericus and her own sexuality, She attempts to resolve this by starting a relationship with a man of her own age but ends up at the psychiatrist where she is introduced to a new form of sexual norms, the "adult games" that people play. She is able to take this new knowledge to solve her home life with the unruly and strange Clee, eventually forming what one could consider a family and, while not solving her hystericus, at least making it bearable. This story is told entirely from the point of view of Cheryl as she retells the events that led to her son's existence. It explores the themes of control, relationship, motherhood, compassion and self-image.