The Problem with Susan

Saw this linked on i09, a problem I remember reading about before (problem being... remember Susan from the Narnia books?  How everything was great when she was a kid, but how when she grew up and became interested in boys and lipstick and was banished from heaven Narnia forever?!  Yeah, subtexturally, that is a problem.

I also remember Neil Gaiman's fanfic from back in the day (yes, it was a fanfic and yes it was THAT Neil Gaiman) who also seemed pained by the subtext of what happened to Susan. (I remember liking the fanfic too.  It was a short thing, if I remember correctly.  And take *that* those people who think that fanfic is pointless and that 'real authors' wouldn't write such things.  He did.  ...Although, it's apparently published now and so is no longer as easily found on the web.  It's in his anthology "Fragile Things").

Excerpt from Gaimans "The Problem of Susan":

I remember thinking what a great deal of damage a train can do, when it hits another train, to the people who were travelling. "I suppose you’ve never had to identify a body, dear?”

“No.”

“That’s a blessing."  I remember looking at them and thinking, What if I’m wrong, what if it’s not him after all? My younger brother was decapitated, you know. A god who would punish me for liking nylons and parties by making me walk through that school dining room, with the flies, to identify Ed, well …

The first article linked from i09 had a JK Rowling quote that I thought appropriate:

“There comes a point where Susan, who was the older girl, is lost to Narnia because she becomes interested in lipstick. She’s become irreligious basically because she found sex. I have a big problem with that.” - JK Rowling

And Gaiman once did an interview re: his issues with Susan's fate and the reason he wrote his fanfic short story, that was published years and years after it had been on the web.( Read more... )

A random topic, to be sure, but an interesting one, I thought.

...

No title because I cannot think of one.

I have twice had the urge to call in to my local sports radio station in recent weeks because the sports announcers are displaying a woeful lack of  awareness of the way that they -- specifically THEY.  Those specific individual people.  On the radio.  Right then  -- are contributing to rape culture.

The first time was to the afternoon DJ's who when discussing the Florida State QB case immediately jumped to "But what if she's making it up?  What if it's for the money?"   Based on... well, their assumptions.  By their own admission they knew none of the details of the case.

First, just to emphasize, by their own admission, they knew NOTHING about the case.  So why do they automatically assume that she's a 'gold digger'? That she has an agenda?  Sure, don't convict the guy without knowing anything about the case, but don't convict the WOMAN either.  Dudes!

Secondly, what money?  He's a college student.    Look, don't convict 'guilty' on suspicion, but don't default to "bitches be lyin' goldiggers" either!   The fact that, sans any information,  they jump to the latter is....

Yeah.

The second time I wanted to call was the morning DJ's responding to the Heisman vote (that ended... Monday?  I forget) Anyway they were saying "Well, Florida's AG is not pressing charges, so why NOT vote for the guy?"

Erm... because "not pressing charges" is NOT the same as "found to be innocent" ?

There's a substantial area of 'unknown' here, so if someone has reservations about voting for him for an award that is SUPPOSED to involve character, they are entitled to withold their votes, regardless of whether the state chose to press charges.  The girl maintains her charge and no one has shown her to have an ulterior agenda.

What's the 'need' to vote for a freshman under a cloud of suspicion of sexual violence to win the Heisman?

Speaking of:  Accusations of a state of Florida cover-up in the case coming from the woman's attorney.  (Yeah.  Again.)

Again, I'm not saying convict the guy because of an accusation, but bejeebus sports press, quit assuming that the girl saying that he raped her is out to 'get something' when all she's 'getting' is excoriated by the sports press.

Seriously, there's a reason why rape is an under reported crime, and the way that the sports press reacts to accusations is a big ol' neon-bright example of why.

And given that not only is FSU's quarterback accused of sexual assault, the LSU quarterback was dismissed from Georgia {prior to going to LSU to play} for the same reason.  Along with the ick-tastic Penn State molestation case, it really makes me long for the days of sports scandals being kids re-selling their text books for cash (actual 'scandal', BTW.)   Come on, I'd really rather hear about a running back taking money from a booster.  At least then no is actually being VIOLATED.

ETA:  And... he won the Heisman.  And having heard a bit more about the case that he was involved in... I'm really disturbed by the way that this has been handled.  There was so much that was wrong in what is uncontested about the case that I don't believe he deserves to have this glossed over.  And that's what the Heisman does.  Blergh.