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From: kcarroll@utzoo.UUCP (Kieran A. Carroll)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Heinlein and FRIDAY
Message-ID: <3628@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 12-Mar-84 16:43:25 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.3628
Posted: Mon Mar 12 16:43:25 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 12-Mar-84 16:43:25 EST
References: <149@hocse.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 26

*

   I've got an idea: why not interpret the novel Friday based on what's
in it, rather than what you wish was in it?
   The present controversy is over Friday's marrying a man who had 
previously raped her.  Well, perhaps she wouldn't have thought of it
that way; he was another AP like her, he was a member of her own profession
(giving them a common interest), he helped her escape onto the colony
planet (if I remember correctly). In addition, she wanted desperately
to belong to a family; getting married is a good first step towards that.
I don't remember whether or not there would have been other APs in the
colonies; from what I remember, she felt that she couldn't trust regular
people, because they might find out her background and turn against her.
In that case, the rapist might have been the one person she could trust.
Besides which, the guy had been kind to her (given that it was his job
to rape her; he was kinder than the others involved), and she hadn't
had to watch him as she was being raped. Perhaps that made it easier
to forget the incident (especially since she'd "turned off" at the time).
   I must admit that I was rather lukewarm about Friday when first I read the
book. Now, looking back on the half-remembered plot, and with the flames
going back and forth on the net to stimulate thinking about it, I'm
growing to appreciate it more. So, keep those flames burning!

-Kieran A. Carroll
...decvax!utzoo!kcarroll