It is the (perceived) threat of castration (by the father) which makes the
male child
suppress his desire for the mother till such time when he can find himself
a female mate. Females thus become objects for exchange among men, and the
family system is created.
 
When the male child in the post-oedipal stage begins entry into the
symbolic order, the process is ensured by a threat of castration ("lack"
of the phallus). For a good description, read "Key Concepts in Cinema
Studies" by Susan Hayward (Routledge, London).
 
On Sat, 18 Apr 1998, Ken Mogg wrote:
 
> Please, could someone succinctly - yet convincingly - remind me just why
> Lacan in his psychoanalytical theory emphasised the need for a male
> person to be 'castrated'?  (You may use terms like Imaginary and
> Symbolic, of course, but do try to subordinate jargon to
> intelligibility.  Thank you!)
>
> - Ken Mogg (Ed., 'The MacGuffin').
>
>
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