| Alice Sebold documents the account of her rape in 1981, as a college freshman at Syracuse. The horrible incident is only the beginning--the book details all of the aftermath as well. She has to deal with telling the police, her friends, and family, who try to be supportive but don't know how to. She becomes known as "the girl who was raped" by fellow classmates. She finishes out her first year of college, discovering that writing has become a method of catharsis in dealing with the rape.
Later, Alice faces her rapist in court and must testify against him. Maintaining a normal life as a college student has become difficult for her. She makes some friends and even goes on a few dates, but the healing process is a long one, and the rape haunts her for some time. However, despite the rather graphic description of the rape, the novel is overall triumphant and encouraging. | ||
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Plot & Themes Taboo Sex Story? Yes Kind of sex: - rape Period of greatest activity? - 1950+ Subject of Biography Gender - Female Profession/status: Ethnicity - White Nationality - American Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 2 () United States Yes The US: - Northeast City? Yes City: - New York Century: - 1980's-Present Writing Style Book makes you feel? - challenged Graphic sex in book? Yes What kind of sex: - rape/molest - - How much dialogue in bio? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 51%-75% of book |
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