A review by bgg616
The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt
3.0
Anarchists, imperialists, William Morris, women's rights, exploitation of women, and so on. This huge novel describes a whole raft of people and ideas occupying England at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. A decrepit, broke (financially and artistically) Oscar Wilde appears. Ideas that promote free love and rebellion against societal morals seem to benefit men and contribute to the continued exploitation of women. Some women are in service in houses of the wealthy, underpaid or not paid, and "taken advantage of" (raped). Their "downfall" when they become pregnant in this age when birth control essentially didn't exist, is blamed on them. Children discover their fathers aren't their fathers, and fathers knowing it, use this as an excuse to abuse their daughters sexually.
Many of the themes in the novel had me thinking that the things "we" rebel against in generation after generation are not in fact "new" ideas or ways of living. Also, I considered that when a moral center or core is abandoned, what is left to assure that humans don't engage primarily in self indulgent behavior that harms others? This is the stuff of my religious instruction in Catholic school through 8th grade, and CYO during high school. I will take a moment to be cynical and say we don't have shining models of morality in my country and the leadership. People who tell the truth are fired, and those who follow their conscious (and cite their religiosity) are ridiculed. It is not a shining moment.
Many of the themes in the novel had me thinking that the things "we" rebel against in generation after generation are not in fact "new" ideas or ways of living. Also, I considered that when a moral center or core is abandoned, what is left to assure that humans don't engage primarily in self indulgent behavior that harms others? This is the stuff of my religious instruction in Catholic school through 8th grade, and CYO during high school. I will take a moment to be cynical and say we don't have shining models of morality in my country and the leadership. People who tell the truth are fired, and those who follow their conscious (and cite their religiosity) are ridiculed. It is not a shining moment.