This is from Cynthia Lennon's book John:

John had given Yoko a vast amount of power over him. He was playing the naughty child to her controlling parent. It made me shudder. What had happened to the free-spirited , independent John I'd known? Why would he want to put himself so firmly under the thumb of a woman who, by the sound of it, didn't appear to be showing him love and affection?

For me, there was an obvious parallel: Aunt Mimi. John had grown up in the shadow of a domineering woman -- it was what he knew and was most familiar with. While I had offered the devotion and loving acceptance he had needed after his mother's death, Yoko offered the security of a mother-figure who always knew best. When, in later years, I read comments from Yoko comparing herself to Aunt Mimi, I had to smile. She got that right.

[End of excerpt.]

On Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 7:26:27 AM UTC-6, Norbert K wrote:
> This is from Cynthia Lennon's book John:
>
> John had given Yoko a vast amount of power over him. He was playing the naughty child to her controlling parent. It made me shudder. What had happened to the free-spirited , independent John I'd known? Why would he want to put himself so firmly under the thumb of a woman who, by the sound of it, didn't appear to be showing him love and affection?
>
> For me, there was an obvious parallel: Aunt Mimi. John had grown up in the shadow of a domineering woman -- it was what he knew and was most familiar with. While I had offered the devotion and loving acceptance he had needed after his mother's death, Yoko offered the security of a mother-figure who always knew best. When, in later years, I read comments from Yoko comparing herself to Aunt Mimi, I had to smile. She got that right.
>
> [End of excerpt.]
Reading Seaman, I can only agree with Cynthia's insight. They lived on separate floors in the Dakota and John had to practically beg to spend time with Yoko. It is difficult to imagine John as a mindless zombie, but when it came to Yoko, this does seem to be the case...and Mimi's treatment of John may have played into his vulnerability for not having a mother and father he could count on...

On Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 2:17:56 PM UTC-5, pamel...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Saturday, January 15, 2022 at 7:26:27 AM UTC-6, Norbert K wrote:
> > This is from Cynthia Lennon's book John:
> >
> > John had given Yoko a vast amount of power over him. He was playing the naughty child to her controlling parent. It made me shudder. What had happened to the free-spirited , independent John I'd known? Why would he want to put himself so firmly under the thumb of a woman who, by the sound of it, didn't appear to be showing him love and affection?
> >
> > For me, there was an obvious parallel: Aunt Mimi. John had grown up in the shadow of a domineering woman -- it was what he knew and was most familiar with. While I had offered the devotion and loving acceptance he had needed after his mother's death, Yoko offered the security of a mother-figure who always knew best. When, in later years, I read comments from Yoko comparing herself to Aunt Mimi, I had to smile. She got that right.
> >
> > [End of excerpt.]
> Reading Seaman, I can only agree with Cynthia's insight. They lived on separate floors in the Dakota and John had to practically beg to spend time with Yoko. It is difficult to imagine John as a mindless zombie, but when it came to Yoko, this does seem to be the case...and Mimi's treatment of John may have played into his vulnerability for not having a mother and father he could count on...

I agree. Also, Mimi discouraged Lennon's music, was *jealous* of his relationship with Cynthia (likening Cynthia to a "gangster's moll"!), and generally "battered away at [John's] self-confidence.

The portrait of Mimi that emerges from Cynthia is that of a cold, nasty, manipulative person who didn't treat John well.