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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2007)
JUNE 15. 2007 |USt|OUts65 books The Nature of the Pedophile Portland author asks some profound, disturbing and important questions about the effects of sexual abuse by Glenn Scofield Williams aked in the Ram disturbed the hell out of me. And I certainly recommend it. But probably not for the reasons you think. I’m not recommending the book because the writing style is extraordi nary. The writing is not bad, but it does have a lot of reported scenes (this happened, then this happened, etc.). And sometimes very important moments in the characters’ lives can transpire at lightning speed, feeling underwritten and lacking the significance required for such moments. On top of it all, this is only the first in a two-part install ment; the action ends ahniptly (though satisfying- ly enough) after a major turning point. Nor am I recommending the book on the basis of realistic believability. The majority of the novel takes place at a wealthy, high-class house of prostitution, the likes of which probably does not exist (let alone the network of such houses that the story suggests). And there are times when the 11 -year-old protago nist thinks some extraordinarily mature thoughts and seems to be a natural savant at anything he sets his hand to (from classical piano to dick). However, I am certainly recom mending this book. Why? Eowyn Wood’s Naked in the Rain (Crooked Hills Publishing, 2007; $13.95 soft- cover) asks some profound, disturbing and important questions. Questions that our nation, as a whole, tends to ignore, often to the detriment of adults and children who become throwaways or worse. And it asks those questions in an extremely inno cent and thereby insightful manner— questions that seep through the lines on the page without any didacticism or pat answers. The novel tells the story of Brian, who meets 14-year-old “tough guy" River in a juvie recovery center after a recently foiled suicide attempt. The boys rapidly discover a tight bond through similar ly bad family experiences and eventually devise a plan to run away together to Los Angeles. Arriving in the city, broke and homeless, they wind up in the hands of Grant, the wealthy owner of a pedophili- ac house of prostitution that caters to moneyed clients. The two boys learn about their sexuality (through Grant) and, in the process, discover a deep love relationship between each other. I told you it was disturbing. And to make it even more complex, the novel is full of sex scenes written in a quite erotic fashion and, at other times, with frightening violence. Some are pedophile scenes, some depict sex between boys, and there are even scenes of heterosexual pedophilia. “The scenes needed to be there,” the author says. “1 don't think any of the scenes are gratuitous. It’s all from Brian’s point of view, and it’s erotic for him. And this becomes so important in his life, and so basic to his personality, that 1 thought it was important to show some of it.” Wixxl is a Portland writer who moved here from Southern California a decade ago. She iden tifies as bisexual—“probably had something to do with why I felt the need to write a story about it, the bisexual nature of it”—and works as an admin Bisexual author Eowyn Wood moved to Portland from Southern California a decade ago. istrator for an AIDS service organization. The book addresses some fundamental tenets of they are harming (which is a realistic, if extremely And even here, Wixxl treads dangerous territory. sexuality, morality and legality. In no way does the tragic, part of pedophilia). “I think it’s a form of How are we as readers to respond to erotic stories bixik endorse or condone pedophilia. But it does love Grant feels,” Wixxl says hesitantly. “Grant about children making love? Can children really be ask important questions about the nature of the feels Brian is special. He feels a connection with in a love relationship, or are they too young to pedophile, about the causes of him. It’s not a healthy relationship, obviously. The understand what that means? Who’s to decide? that specific kind of abuse and situation with Grant is still abusive, even though “Well,” Wixxls says, “I’ve had people say similar about the humanity of both vic there’s no physical harm. It’s still not a healthy rela things.. .they’re all into the story, and then suddenly tim and perpetrator. tionship with Grant. It would be bad enough if it they were kind of oddly thrilled. And then 1 had “The book is really about the was just the two of them, but the fact that Grant someone say that the story made him feel dirty. Not effects of sexual abuse,” Wixxl says. coerces him into prostitution is very bad. So even necessarily gixxl or bad, but it shows that the story’s “1 would not say Grant is a gixxl when it’s physically pleasant [to Brian), it’s still effective.” guy. Compared to some in the twisting Brian into something else.” The story raises serious questions about the Fxxik, he’s the gixxl guy, but com And the sex is, in fact, erotic and pleasant to the responsibilities of witnesses. There are plenty of pared to a normal adult, he’s a bad boy—an important, it dangerous, point. Psychologists characters not directly involved in the pedophilia guy. Gixxl and bad is a gray area.” and sociologists vouch for the fact that violent and or the prostitution who see what’s happening and Our society lixiks at the repug destructive sexual acts can be, in ways, pleasurable to do nothing, and there are many different reasons nant practice of pedophilia and the victim. Does the pleasure of the Fxxly make the for this inaction. There are questions about parent labels the people who practice it “monsters” and crime any less criminal? No. But we must recognize ing and the responsibilities of parents to keep “inhuman.” But pedophiles are, in fact, human that victims of abuse often feel that they are going children healthy and on track. There are questions beings, as are their victims. If we are to save both and crazy because the hxly responds with its own endor- about the culture of money and the misery that stop the violence done to children, we must face it phic will, even as it experiences a harmful act. The wealth can buy. head-on and recognize the need to salvage whatever hxik illustrates this truth unflinchingly. This hxik rattled me, and 1 hope you give it the humanity remains. What do we do with these lost “It’s left open for the reader to make their own chance to rattle you, too. “I do hope, in some souls? Is there a chance that they can be brixight back judgments. Initially, it’s Brian’s point of view, and he respects,” Wixids says, “that it helps open some into “normal” human society? This hxiks asks these doesn’t see any problem with it. But by the end, he minds. If nothing else, I’m forcing people to relate questions through the story of an 11- year-old strug starts to see it differently,’realizing that even when it’s to an underage gay prostitute, and how many gling with his own identity and place in the world. pleasant physically, it’s damaging in other ways. The people relate to that? Maybe they’ll find that love between two [boys isj not so bad.” © older person has so much power tn the relationship,” “Maybe another point of the Fxxik,” Wcxxl says, “is probably no one is 100 percent evil.” she adds. “At the same time, pedophiles are people, Grant and some of Brian’s adult johns seem in too. I hate to say it that way, but it’s true." E owyn W ood reads 7:30 p.m. June 21 at St. Johns rhe book to genuinely have feelings for the boy The book is also a love story between two boys. Booksellers, 8622 N. Lombard St.
