Printable View
Im in the middle of reading a book called "I choose to live" by Sabine Dardenne.Its about a girl locked up in a cellar by a notorious Belgian paedophile.
Is this an appropriate topic for public reading? Or is it too taboo? What are we meant to learn from reading about this kind of autobiography?
Would like some views.
First off, I can't help feeling that the poor girl has every right to try to make as much money out of this horrific experience as she can. Just hope it was her decision and not something she was pressured into.
Not sure I'd read the book, but what would make me want to is curiosity about the mindset of the people who kept her locked up. I don't know if morality applies to this in any way at all. I don't think my interest is prurient - I'm not looking for kicks - but I also don't have any highminded ideas of understanding evil in order to better combat it. I just want to know what kind of people would do this and why.
This type of autobiaography is very popular lately (the last 5 years). Like all things some of it good, some not. I can't help feel there is a voyeristic element to it. Whether that's bad or good, I haven't come to any conclusion. Who was that person that was recently caught fabricating events in a similar type of book? I've already forgotten the jerk's name. As to your question, it's impossible to tell. Based on the facts you provide I would say it is appropriate. Of course I don't know if the audience is a group of seven year olds, or whether the autobiography is a titlating shocker or honestly written.Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony Furze
I've forgotten the jerk's name too, Virgil, but I'm not sure this is analagous. Oprah's liar guy was one of the school of suffering and redemption books that are all over the place, whether tales of surviving abuse or of getting over addiction. Frey was it? A million little pieces? Anyway, the book under discussion here is about a case that had a lot of notoriety recently. There wasn't just the one girl locked up, there were many, some of whom died. And it wasn't just one guy who kept them locked up, but him, his wife and various others. I can only guess, but though the title has a therapyish feel, I suspect this is largely going to be a factual account, probably without a lot of gooy sentimental soul-saving stuff. but I don't know - Anthony?
Yes, that was it.Quote:
Originally Posted by blp
Good God, how terrible. I hadn't heard about it. I don't see anything wrong with her talking about it. If she could write about, then what's the difference if she talks about it.Quote:
Anyway, the book under discussion here is about a case that had a lot of notoriety recently. There wasn't just the one girl locked up, there were many, some of whom died. And it wasn't just one guy who kept them locked up, but him, his wife and various others.
Its definitely not therapy, but told almost from the point of view of a twelve year old.The sordid parts are spared and we see inside the head of a frightened but very brave girl.Quote:
Originally Posted by blp
Does it make a difference if this kind of topic is handled as fiction?
I didn't read the book, but know that she wrote it. I don't see what is wrong with it. It's a terrible thing what happened a couple of years ago and I can remember when being in Belgium that time, seeing the posters of missed girls. And because I'm living in a neighbouring country, this case is followed in detail by the Dutch press.
I think it's good for her to write down her experiences, to get a way with it. And I can imagine people want to read about what happened there, because it was so surrealistic when came to light what actually happened. I don't know if I would read the book, maybe, to get more insight in the feelings of somebody who came in this nightmare.
I'm not sure if this is the point of your question, but I've been thinking lately, not for the first time, about the relationship of real life to art. If you take very particular types of human experience like going for a walk or having sex, however great they are in themselves, merely describing them is inadequate to make them art. Art can be a good experience in itself, but not by chunking bits of real life wholesale. It can never duplicate these things closely enough, so must do something else that works within its own parameters. If you accept that this is true, interesting subject matter becomes, very likely, inessential to an artist, maybe even a hindrance.
This girl's story is obviously interesting subject matter.
Or do you mean your question to be answered more from a moral perspective?
Sounds like an interesting book.Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony Furze
Very interesting. Although I can be pursuaded otherwise, I don't feel that autobiography or biography or non-fiction subjects are art. It can be well written, nonetheless. I will say I am wishy-washy here on this, and I'm just presenting my reaction of the moment. Art requires some sort of creative enterprise, and if one fudges biographical experience for "art's sake" then one falls into that Frey trap. If she wants to put this work in the arena of art, then she could call it fiction and say it was based on personal experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by blp
Unfortunately it's not surrealistic, but realistic.Quote:
And I can imagine people want to read about what happened there, because it was so surrealistic when came to light what actually happened.
"I don't feel that autobiography or biography or non-fiction subjects are art."
I'd say that Gibbon's "Decline & Fall etc" and, even more so, Macaulay's "History of England" both rate as art, even though they are both, in intention at least, non-fiction.
As I wrote that sentence a few other examples (Burke, Ruskin ...) came to mind, and I thought that until recently - fix a date for yourself - non-fiction was often crafted as carefully as any other kind of writing. 'Still writing before I think, "fix a date for yourself" - maybe the philistines who preached that function was sufficient to make something beautiful killed the art of writing beautiful non-fiction.
.
Yes, I don't think there's any doubt that non-fiction work can be great art. So I expressd myself pretty badly or maybe just said something stupid.
What I was trying to say so badly was that the interest of a story like this is in its being factual and that, for some reason, its interest as something invented would be less. Even that's hard to make stick, given how many ways it might be handled.
John Fowles' first novel, The Collector is about a similar subject - a man kidnaps a female art student and keeps her in an underground room. I'd say it's one of his least interesting books, for what that's worth.
I can't really see any reason why any subject would be inappropriate for literature.
Back on topic "Is this an appropriate topic for public reading?"
I've just looked through the on-line catalogue of the local County libraries. There are, it appears, 68 copies of "I choose to live," of which about 50 are out on loan, and some are in transit, presumably having been requested.
Compare this with Houellebecq's "Platform" that I was looking up recently - 8 copies of which 1 is on loan.
Compare also "Heart of Darkness" that is popular in the forum - 16 copies of which 6 are on loan.
Clearly, the public very much want to read "I choose to live."
.