Q & A with Emma Donoghue discussion
Character of Ma
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Quite a lot: I read books about, for instance, Josef Fritzl and other rapist/kidnappers. I felt I needed to understand Old Nick - his petty rules, his sick sense of being a 'good provider' - even if I wasn't writing very much about him in himself.
Emma wrote: "The publishers thought it should be aimed at adults, but I notice it's been recommended as a YA-interest novel by, for instance, the American Library Association, so it does seem to be reaching teenagers."For whatever it's worth, I appreciated, as a teen, being given the responsibility of reading literature with mature material. Which is to say, just because literature has mature or disturbing elements that doesn't necessarily put it out of reach for a young, serious reader. When I was a senior in HS, we read Tess of the D'Urbervilles (in which we spent a lot of time discussing whether or not she had been raped) and Rabbit, Run (scenes of nudity and uxorial lust, among other mature subjects). I still feel that same sense of pride that our teacher trusted us with those novels.
Regarding the decision that the child be male vs female, it is in the topic of Gender and Violence. Here is the link to the specific comment.http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5...
Jenny wrote: "For whatever it's worth, I appreciated, as a teen, being given the responsibility of reading literature with mature material."Myself included!
Jenny wrote: "Regarding the decision that the child be male vs female, it is in the topic of Gender and Violence. Here is the link to the specific comment.http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5...-..."
Thanks for directing me there!
Emma wrote: "By 'blocking', I don't mean he doesn't remember it; I mean that he hears what other adults call her, but he chooses not to include that in his narration, because he disapproves of her having any name other than Ma."Interesting! Thanks for the clarification! I wish this idea had been expressed better in the novel.
Emma wrote: "Quite a lot: I read books about, for instance, Josef Fritzl and other rapist/kidnappers. I felt I needed to understand Old Nick - his petty rules, his sick sense of being a 'good provider' - even if I wasn't writing very much about him in himself."Good to know the research was helpful in creating his character. I imagine it wouldn't have been very comfortable trying to understand that type of a mindset.
I think his disregard for her other name was clear to me. He noticed it and mentioned how people kept calling her by her other name. The way he said it was almost like he would have been thinking "Whatever. She's Ma to me. They can caller whatever they want."
Jenny wrote: "I think his disregard for her other name was clear to me. He noticed it and mentioned how people kept calling her by her other name..."Must have missed it.
Why was Ma adopted? What relevance does that add to the story? I interpreted it that Ma was completely able to separate being the parenting parent from being the biological parent. Her parents were the people who raised her, and she didn't seem to be haunted by her birthfamily's existence. Similarly, she did not associate Old Nick when she looked at jack. SHE was his only parent, the biological father was not one of Jack's parents. Also, although it worked well in the book, I found it interesting that Ma's father, as an adoptive parent, rejected Jack. Grampa couldn't get over the rape, perhaps. Seems like, as an adoptive parent who loved his daughter, he should have been able to separate the monster who fathered the child from the child.
I think it was interesting that the author mentioned that Ma was adopted, and agree with you that it shows that Ma could separate being the parenting parent from being the biological parent. It showed that she could love Jack even if he was the result of being with the monster Old Nick. She thought of Jack as her son and a wonderful son, not someone that reminded her of the rape from Nick. I think it is interesting that Grampa couldnt get over the rape and that Jack's dad was the rapist. Interesting. I would like to know more about why Jack kept Ma's tooth for so long, besides it was a part of her and the room. any interesting insights into this?
By 'blocking', I don't mean he doesn't remember it; I mean that he hears what other adults call her, but he chooses not to include that in his narration, because he disapproves of her having any name other than Ma.