Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!hocda!houxm!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!friedman From: friedman@uiucdcs.UUCP (friedman ) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: heinlein and FRIDAY - (nf) Message-ID: <6030@uiucdcs.UUCP> Date: Mon, 5-Mar-84 22:29:35 EST Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.6030 Posted: Mon Mar 5 22:29:35 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 7-Mar-84 05:11:28 EST Lines: 21 #R:hocse:-14300:uiucdcs:12500075:000:1250 uiucdcs!friedman Mar 5 09:24:00 1984 Re. the criticism of Friday for falling in love with her rapist: I don't think this is well taken. For one thing, ordinary human psychology doesn't necessarily extrapolate to Friday. For example, it's clear that the rape was not (as such) traumatic to her; with her mind control discipline, she could and did simply turn it off. In that long scene of which the rape was part, she dispassionately recounts the several responses she considered making to the rape. The only rapist with whom she was upset (and very much so) was the guy who was unclean and slapped her around. So I don't find her response to Mac/Pete/Percival all that odd, although it was kinda quick. Even that is understandable; she tends to respond to other APs wherever and whenever she finds them (witness that gallant character who runs away from her the second time she crosses from Canada to California). Despite her statements that APs don't particularly stick together, every time she discovers one, they stick together -- Mac, Tilly, whatsisname.... So it does seem to be in character. As for the rape being stuck in to "arouse the audience (of men)", I think this is nonsense. It certainly was not described in a way that I think was erotic or arousing to anyone.