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Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

#104: Jan. - Feb. 2012 (Fiction)
lindad_amato
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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Tigerlily22 wrote:I again agree with you Giselle. There are several reasons why someone may be on the registry and are we right in assuming that all of these people are somehow "less than" or acting "more heinous than" someone else just because they happen to be on this list where we think there must be something wrong with them or they are perverted or choose to be evil. We see in Kid's life that there are circumstances that happen to him that are detrimental to his persona and we don't often think shot this when we think of someone who commits a crime. When is someone "evil"and when are they a victim of their circumstances? Does Kid have the ability to have made a different choice?
Some good thoughts here, ladies. I agree and also think that Banks is pushing us to question what is across the line sexually and what is not. Notice how the offenders even categorize each other and that pedophiles are at the bottom of the ranking.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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giselle wrote:I'm curious whether people see the Kid as more victim than perpetrator or the reverse?
At this point in the story I will say perpetrator. Although that may change later.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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smileyface123123 wrote: In these chapters he is faced with his world being turned upside down. He lost his home and any stability he had obtained. He has seemed to accept his life the way it is, but he shows a moment of hope for change when he calls the real estate agent. It is just a tiny sliver of hope that dies as soon as he gets off the phone.
For some reason I felt he was just going through the motions when he called up that real estate agent. He wanted to feel like a normal person. By sitting at the outdoor cafe, reading the paper and having a cuppa coffee. But I don't think he had any hope. He just wanted to know what it felt like.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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lindad_amato wrote:What are your thoughts on the Professor? He seems to have some secrets of his own and I'm wondering if his motives should be questioned.
Are you talking about Larry Somerset the senator? Just looking in the book and i haven't seen a reference to a Professor.

Well I was surprised with the amount of money that he offered the Kid to sleep in his tent. $200.00? I would question any one's motives in that encampment.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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WildCityWoman wrote: About the two young teenage girls - I don't suppose anyone's going to agree with me on this, but I think there should be some law preventing women, young and old, from flaunting their bodies in public. They're just asking for trouble.
I can just imagine the line up for guys wanting the job of patrolling for ladies who are too sexy for their shirts. :P

And where would you draw the line?
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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WildCityWoman wrote:Society seems to encourage the TV reporters to follow these people around upon their release from prison - I wonder why they don't do the same with such offenders as

l) drunk drivers who have killed;

2)wife/child beaters.

To my way of thinking, these are just as bad as sex offenders.

And again, I think women and young girls who flaunt themselves by appearing on the streets half naked are just as guilty as the sex offenders.

I really don't see the two young girls on roller blades, skirting around this guy as being sweet young things - I think of them as being brazen hussies in the making.

(Sorry - guess I've got prudish streak)
I say all the power to the reporters who will notify us when sexual offenders are released! Most of all, for the perverts who do not seek counseling or rehab while in prison. And there are plenty of them around. I say plaster their picture on the hydro poles and play grounds.

As far as the drunks who have killed.....no. They are not sitting on the couch getting sloshed and thinking I need to go kill me somebody. Where as the sexual predator is contemplating the crime.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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giselle wrote: Perhaps Banks is testing us, getting us to explore the way in which we make assumptions or stereotype people when we lack the facts and that this can be quite destructive?
It will be interesting to see if I feel differently about sexual offenders after I read the book.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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I found this paragraph on page 39 chapter 5 disturbing:

Fear of being caught and punished for doing something most people disapprove of and some people prohibit or is illegal is only what goes with playing a high-stakes game of chance. If you win you feel lucky and if you lose you feel unlucky and you just take your punishment like a man. Either way you don't feel ashamed or guilty. Its almost never colored by shame or guilt like it would if it was immoral.

Now what do you suppose he is saying here? Is he justifying himself? Does this Kid have any morals?
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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He seems to have his own set of morals (whether reasonable or not) and is saying that he will not be bound by the standards that a society sets. He does, however, realize that he must take his punismhent, if caught.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 1, chapters; 5-7

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smileyface123123 wrote:I think the professor sees Kid as an object, instead of a person. He looks at him as if he were a bug under glass. The professor appears to care what happens to Kid, but I think it is for his own selfish reasons.
We meet the Professor at the end of chapter 10.
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