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A review by thesidecar
This Perfect Day by Ira Levin
4.0
SPOILERS:
In defense of ~That Scene~:
My first reaction was much like the reaction of everyone else who's posted so far: disgust, frustration, and disappointment with Levin on making a rape scene such a non-issue in the story. However, the more I thought about it, the more okay with it I was. In no way am I defending rape, or do I feel that Chip did the right thing in raping Lilac. But I DO think this scene was necessary.
It proves that 1) Chip is a heavily flawed character and 2) being untreated isn't always a good thing. Lilac doesn't fall in love with him because he raped her. She falls "in love" because Chip is an untreated member and has another life to offer her.
Because the Family is constantly drugged, they do not learn to control free will emotions or urges. We learn that just because we want something doesn't mean we take it and we learn to deal with that in healthy, productive ways (well...most of us, at least). Chip never learned how to manage sexual desires or urges and therefore, forces himself on Lilac not just once but twice. He has no control over his sexual free will and it begs the reader to wonder, is maybe Uni doing the right thing?
In defense of ~That Scene~:
My first reaction was much like the reaction of everyone else who's posted so far: disgust, frustration, and disappointment with Levin on making a rape scene such a non-issue in the story. However, the more I thought about it, the more okay with it I was. In no way am I defending rape, or do I feel that Chip did the right thing in raping Lilac. But I DO think this scene was necessary.
It proves that 1) Chip is a heavily flawed character and 2) being untreated isn't always a good thing. Lilac doesn't fall in love with him because he raped her. She falls "in love" because Chip is an untreated member and has another life to offer her.
Because the Family is constantly drugged, they do not learn to control free will emotions or urges. We learn that just because we want something doesn't mean we take it and we learn to deal with that in healthy, productive ways (well...most of us, at least). Chip never learned how to manage sexual desires or urges and therefore, forces himself on Lilac not just once but twice. He has no control over his sexual free will and it begs the reader to wonder, is maybe Uni doing the right thing?