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gender differences and INEXCUSABLE
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From: Alina B. Klein <alinabk>
Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2005 12:14:46 -0500
gender differences and INEXCUSABLEI don't think that any person's impressions of a book can be labeled "misimpressions". They are merely one's own interpretations and cannot, I believe, be labeled as false.
Since I was the one who said that I ended up believing the main character was "just plain crazy", I wanted to respond to you. I do understand what Chris was trying to accomplish and I think he wrote a fine book. I read it in one sitting and was drawn along by the action and pace. And I'm very thrilled to hear that boys have learned something from it and see something of themselves and their friends in it.
As I said in a wishful way to a person who responded to me off-list:
"...if only [men] could understand the fallacies in their thinking then
[acquaintance] rape [perhaps] would go away. But, of course, that won't happen will it. No matter what Chris Lynch did or didn't write."
If boys are thinking this book through and learning something then I am 100% in support of it.
I believe that any book that gets rape or any other type of "darkness and violence" out in the open for people to think about and interpret is a good one. Especially one as finely written as Chris's. It doesn't take away from the fact that I wish he would have explored some other truths a bit more, but I understand that there is only so much time and space in which to tell a story.
But I have to mention, Ms. Seo, the videotaping part, which you spoke of in your response and which to me is the part that really made me believe that he was crazy. The fact that even though he was faced with irrefutable proof, he still seemed to believe that the person he saw on the videotape was not himself, made him appear severely dissociated from reality in my opinion.
But I understand that there can be other interpretations and as I said before I look forward to hearing them and hearing what others felt about the book.
I admit that I am biased. As a rape survivor and someone who is writing a book about rape myself, I am bound to see this book through the filter of my own experiences and research. I do hope that others take the opportunity to read it and discuss it here.
The last thing I was trying to do was squash the book at the starting-gate and I apologize if I gave anyone that impression or if I made the book seem less valuable than it truly is.
Best, Alina Klein
Received on Sat 30 Jul 2005 12:14:46 PM CDT
Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2005 12:14:46 -0500
gender differences and INEXCUSABLEI don't think that any person's impressions of a book can be labeled "misimpressions". They are merely one's own interpretations and cannot, I believe, be labeled as false.
Since I was the one who said that I ended up believing the main character was "just plain crazy", I wanted to respond to you. I do understand what Chris was trying to accomplish and I think he wrote a fine book. I read it in one sitting and was drawn along by the action and pace. And I'm very thrilled to hear that boys have learned something from it and see something of themselves and their friends in it.
As I said in a wishful way to a person who responded to me off-list:
"...if only [men] could understand the fallacies in their thinking then
[acquaintance] rape [perhaps] would go away. But, of course, that won't happen will it. No matter what Chris Lynch did or didn't write."
If boys are thinking this book through and learning something then I am 100% in support of it.
I believe that any book that gets rape or any other type of "darkness and violence" out in the open for people to think about and interpret is a good one. Especially one as finely written as Chris's. It doesn't take away from the fact that I wish he would have explored some other truths a bit more, but I understand that there is only so much time and space in which to tell a story.
But I have to mention, Ms. Seo, the videotaping part, which you spoke of in your response and which to me is the part that really made me believe that he was crazy. The fact that even though he was faced with irrefutable proof, he still seemed to believe that the person he saw on the videotape was not himself, made him appear severely dissociated from reality in my opinion.
But I understand that there can be other interpretations and as I said before I look forward to hearing them and hearing what others felt about the book.
I admit that I am biased. As a rape survivor and someone who is writing a book about rape myself, I am bound to see this book through the filter of my own experiences and research. I do hope that others take the opportunity to read it and discuss it here.
The last thing I was trying to do was squash the book at the starting-gate and I apologize if I gave anyone that impression or if I made the book seem less valuable than it truly is.
Best, Alina Klein
Received on Sat 30 Jul 2005 12:14:46 PM CDT
