A strange lack of understanding of rape

[phoenixesl]

The second story in this collection involved a rape and the resulting revenge. The reactions of the female character who was raped did not ring anywhere close to true, in my opinion. Did anyone else consider it flat, even when written by a man (who is usually pretty insightful about behaviors) about a woman's experience?

[Connie Reader]

Well, the story itself wasn't so much focused on the rape so much as the resulting revenge.
I was raped when I was a teenager and although this is something that happens to way too many women, every experience is as different as the women it happens to. The woman in the story was focused on her reputation as a writer and not wanting to be labeled "the raped writer" and the resulting attention that would bring even if it meant she might sell more books or get more press. That seemed pretty real to me. I don't think he was trying to get deep inside her brain as far as the trauma from the rape. It seemed to me the story was more about payback and from someone who never got to confront her rapist and who chose to bury the pain, I was really invested in this story and did shed a few cathartic tears reading it.

[Pucker]

As a movie starring Charles Bronson, I think it works very well.

As a realistic depiction of the aftermath of rape . . .

not so much.

[JohnDalglish]

As a movie starring Charles Bronson, I think it works very well.

As a realistic depiction of the aftermath of rape . . .

not so much.

Hi,

Couldn't miss another opportunity to brandish your negative subjective value judgements, could you, Kid?

Half full.

Long days and pleasant nights

[Spideyman]

Exactly what Connie Reader said. That was a spot on expression of how I felt while reading the story.

[Connie Reader]

Holy moly, a made up story not accurately depicting the aftermath of a rape as you imagine it to be? crazy!

[Spooky Chick]

Although I have not been raped, and therefore have no certainty of what goes on in women's heads, I support women who have been raped (we refer to them as survivors) and whole heartedly agree with Connie that all women are individuals and react and feel and think individually. There are no rules for how to cope, and considering this was a short story with not a lot of time to explore the depth of effect rape has, I thought it was excellently written.

[Pucker]

Hi,

Couldn't miss another opportunity to brandish your negative subjective value judgements, could you, Kid?

Half full.

Long days and pleasant nights

Couldn't miss another opportunity to fill up you empty life with potshots at people who don't kneel before your idol, could you, John?

[Moderator]

You've both had your say. If you have more to say to each other about this, please do so outside of the thread. Only comments on the thread topic here from now on, please.

[Sigmund]

It was a difficult read. It made me feel her horror, pain, doubt, anger, sadness, regret, vengence, second-guessing, what-if-thinking ...all the gamut of emotions roller-coasting from second to second, situation to situation. That story was a punch to the throat. I loved it. The entire book in fact.
Just my two cents.