From: Paula Rau Ewenstein <plre>
Date: Sat, 9 Aug 1997 17:29:08 -0500

I have been lurking for several months, but this is the first time that I have joined in the discussion. I am a former special education teacher, and have just completed my degree in library science at Simmons College. I am employed in a k-8 public school library. For me, Lori is the most troubling and puzzling character in this novel. Something has gone so terribly wrong somewhere in Eric's development. Even though we may not know all of the causes, I felt from the beginning of the book that Eric had been on the path to where he ended up for a very long time, and there was never any significant chance that he would find another way. Lori, however, is quite a different case. At the beginning of the novel she uses sexual activity to get what she wants, and clearly has some very self destructive and inappropriate behaviors. However, by the end of the book, she is willingly letting Eric lure and and then murder a young woman. There is no question in my mind (or in the minds of my 2 teenage sons who read the book) that she knows what Eric plans to do to the undercover policewoman. This is a huge change in the level of inappropriate behavior. How did she go from using sex to get a ride and stealing a wallet, to turning a blind eye to, if not actually abetting a murder? Is this how far an abused child will go to obtain a little
"tenderness?" This was very troubling and scary. Does anyone have insights into Lori's behavior? Paula Ewenstein Plre at sprynet.com
Received on Sat 09 Aug 1997 05:29:08 PM CDT