I would be interested to hear them. I didn’t actually read the book, I listened to it on audiotape during a long road trip, and specifics didn’t stick in my mind very well. I mostly remember that I found it disturbing, but not in a good way. Maybe the problems you are citing are why?
Maybe it’s just because I read so much fantasy, but I think most ficion authors write characters who they don’t share an experience with.
I’m trying to figure out what this rant is about. I was a heavy-set kid, and I’m not Slim Goodbody now. I am utterly confused at how anyone could see Lamb’s portrayal of this complex, sensitive character as anything other than completely sympathetic.
Is it the actual poundage you object to? Some people are denser than others. I’m around 260, but my muscles and bones account for a lot of that. If I were 5’3’ and had less dense bones and less muscle mass, I could see myself having trouble squeezing into a VW Beetle.
Are you upset that people mocked her for her obesity? Because that never happens in real life, right? :rolleyes: Do you think that by writing characters that mock overweight people, that Lamb is mocking overweight people? The roommate was the bad one here. You were supposed to hate her for mocking the main character, not say “Yeah, I think I’ll go out and kick a fat person.”
Or do you think that only heavy people should write heavy characters? I’m lost. But that’s just me.
[slight hijack]
Guin: I think the point is, that at 5’3" and 180 pounds you would be overweight but you probably would be perfectly functional unless you had health problems–you’d be able to fit into small cars, be able to hike, work out, take a walk, etc.–you would still be able to do normal things. I do, and I’m 5’2" and 180 pounds. My mom can do most things, and she’s 5’3 and about 220 pounds. I find that some people who aren’t fat tend to have certain misconceptions about what people can do based on their size alone. The fact that someone is fat is not, by itself, enough to determine what they can physically do.
The main character is 5’7", and weights 267 at her Drs. appt.
I don’t think it’s fair to criticize the author for writing incorrect things about a woman who weights 180, when he’s actually writing about a woman who’s close to 100 lbs heaver than that.
I’ve never been 267. I’m assuming, however, that if I were to put on 130 lbs, my mobility would be impaired, somewhat.
If you didn’t like the book, fine, but at least dislike it for a valid reason. Triming 100 lbs of the heroine and then complaining of an inaccurate representation of how a person of that weight feels and is treated is absurd.
And it was the 18 year old roommate who complained - not her parents. And, if you recal, Kippy wound up living with Dolores for as long as she was in school, which allowed Dolores to steal the letters and pictures from Dante.
It’s also important to remember - re, Kippy’s initial reaction to Dolores. When they met, Dolores was not all fresh faced and keen, she was lying in the room, having not showered for about 4 days, and having eaten mexican food the night before. She had been lying in the hot room sweating and farting for about 12 hours when Kippy opened the door. I think even if she had weighed 120 Kippy would have been horrified at the sight and smell of her.
** alice_in_wonderland**, I never cut her down to 180, I don’t know where that came from, really.
I understand that she had other problems than this, but Lamb seems to make it out as if she was so seriously impared by her weight that normal functions were out of the question! That’s really the only thing I’m upset with, I promise 
(I also didn’t particularly like the writing style, but hey, that happens).
I’m not saying that only heavy people should write the roles of heavy people, but I do think Lamb should have researched the capabilites of someone at that weight. Maybe he did-- but if he did, I seriously doubt the person he asked/observed was healthy outside of the weight.
I’m really healthy, and not only can I walk more than a few blocks without getting winded, I run every day. Sure, I’m not olympic fast and I can’t go for miles on end, but I’m not bedridden. I climb stairs quite a few times everyday (my school is on the side of a hill), and every weekend I’m oput playing my sport. I know I’m not the average-- but I’m closer to the truth than Dolores.
cuauhtemoc
Thanks for reading my other posts. Really.
The main passage which irks me that I can remember without the text is when she’s trying to stan dup in the park-- And it takes her a bench and around 20 minutes to get into a bent over position.
The fact she wasn’t able to fit into a normal desk at school, and had to sit at a special table because of it, is one of the others.
I’ll probably be seeing that friend later tonight, so I may be able to quote the actual book.
You’re right - it was BadBaby who trimmed her stats. Sorry for attributing it to you.
Ok. However, I think it should be noted that Dolores was not active. She gained all of her 267 lbs by sitting in her room eating. She go NO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY whatsoever.
I think in those circumstances, a small boned person (which she was), who had gained 150 lbs by sitting around and eating would be seriously impaired. Obviously, this doesn’t apply to many people who are both fit and healthy, and also happen to be larger.
My take on the heroine is that she is severely depressed, has almost nothing in the way of family or social support - her mother is either a) in a mental institution or b) screwing the guy upstairs; her grandmother is harsh and unsupportive; her classmates riducule her - both for her weight and lack of social skills. Her only real support is Mr. Pucci, who of course has to look after a number of students, and certainly can’t give Dolores the intensive counselling that she needs. It is these factors that contribute to Dolores’ feelings of helplessness, as opposed to an actual physical inability to get around. That is, in the book, her inability to deal with her weight is a reflection of her overall inability to deal with her life.
<gasp>
Ok, I’m done. I appreciate that everyone has different tastes in books - personally “She’s Come Undone” is one of my favorite books - I have recommended it and lent it to many people, all of whom raved about it. I can appreciate that it might not be to everyone’s tastes. Some other posters have commented that it was “too close to home” - I imagine that a person dealing with severe depression, or the aftermath of a childhood rape, or even someone struggling with their weight may find the book too much. However, I belive that Wally Lamb’s potrayal of a depressed, helpless, overweight woman who has been victimized her whole life is fairly accurate.
I hated his other book, “I know This Much Is True.” Does that mean anything?
Well, true-but on my frame, it probably wouldn’t work-I’m very petite, in that I have small bones-my hands are very tiny, as are my feet-well, at least in my family they are-and I would probably have a lot of health problems.
However, since I haven’t read the book, I can’t really comment.
It means that you probably wouldn’t like this one either.
I loved both. (Although I found “I Know This Much is True” infinatly more depressing.
IRL I’m kinda hypo-manic, so perhaps I can tolerate more depressing books than most? I dunno.
I loved that one. I didn’t like “She’s Come Undone” that much. Even though Dolores was a sympathetic character, the book was just too whiney for me. I was sick of her by the end of the book. I should go post her name in that thread about fictional characters you want to slap silly.
I wanted to post specifically to say that I thought “I know This Much Is True” was much better.