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Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

#104: Jan. - Feb. 2012 (Fiction)
lindad_amato
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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Suzanne wrote:The professor creeps me out. I think the kid is smart to be warry of him. What do you guys think about the professor's weight? His weight may be a big reason I don't trust him. I feel that he is consuming people. Is he truly helping the kid and the men under the causeway or is he feeding off them? Do you think the professor's weight has any meaning?
The weight issue is interesting. Does it make the Prof. an outcast like the sex offenders? I'm not sure if Banks is using this in some way, or not. However, I do think that the Prof's secrecy has something to do with the theme. His life has been one of disguises and deception which gives him something in common with the Kid.
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giselle

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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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lindad_amato wrote:
Suzanne wrote:The professor creeps me out. I think the kid is smart to be warry of him. What do you guys think about the professor's weight? His weight may be a big reason I don't trust him. I feel that he is consuming people. Is he truly helping the kid and the men under the causeway or is he feeding off them? Do you think the professor's weight has any meaning?
The weight issue is interesting. Does it make the Prof. an outcast like the sex offenders? I'm not sure if Banks is using this in some way, or not. However, I do think that the Prof's secrecy has something to do with the theme. His life has been one of disguises and deception which gives him something in common with the Kid.
In my view, Banks depiction of the Professor goes beyond a 'weight issue' .. he really emphasizes massive size and glutonous eating habits. I'm not sure about the significance of this but I think its safe to say he might encounter some level of social ostracization. His size may have another significance as well ... it would be really hard to miss him in a room or for him to disappear into a crowd. He may also tend to dominate in a group, especially because he is big and smart and has the gift of the gab. His size doesn't bother me but his gross eating habits do. If he has an eating disorder, then I guess this reflects underlying psychological issues? Suzanne's point about 'consuming people' is an interesting take on it ... sounds a little cannibalistic.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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It is his glutonous eating habits that makes him more endearing to me, or perhaps endearing is the wrong word, palatable might be better. Without this, he is so devoid of any emotional at all. With the eating it seems that he is burying his inner self with food. He has detached his analytical mind from his body, which includes all physical and mental feelings. Definitely underlying psychological issues. I don't think he means harm to the Kid, but I doubt very much that he is able to care very much about anyone else in any kind of real sense.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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I can see 'palatable', good double meaning. Although I find it a bit gross, his gluttony does make him more human, a clear human foible or weakness, otherwise the Professor is quite cold-blooded ... except for his friendship with the Kid. Maybe the Kid is his only friend .. or maybe he's not a friend at all and he is just using the Kid for his own purposes. As the story continues, I think the Kid is fairly perceptive and cautious about the risk of his connection with the Professor.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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The professor thinks about remembering that social norms between him and the Kid are going to be different. The Kid explains dumpster diving etiquette at one point. This is something that the professor most likely has not learned. By the professor keeping the idea of differing social norms in mind, he is most likely going to ask about Kids background and stories about the everyday life of Kid for examples of social norms for both sex offenders and homeless males.

By being willing to help Kid out, I do not believe the professor is effecting his data or research in any way. It is typical for researchers to offer some type of compensation. He is not offering exorbitant amounts of money or any other kind of compensation he can not afford. He is offering to donate items and help Kid with a job. He most likely will not choose a method right away as a job may set Kid on the path to stable housing which will negate his ability to use Kid for research on homelessness.

Kid's interest in the captain seems childlike. He is drawn in by the idea of the treasure map and even brings up "x marks the spot". He wonders whether this is how Kydd marked his treasure on the map. I feel the author is again showing us the maturity level of Kid and is using this to rally up further support of the Kid.

Kid's childlike interest adds to my concern of him living in a place where prostitution is a regular occurence. I'm not sure of the legality of this where the Kid is, but if this is illegal where he is, it may add another sexually related charge to his record, resulting in a violation of probation. This would cause major problems for the Kid. It will be interesting to see how this atmosphere effects Kid and the choices he makes.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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Oh my, what have I missed? I have read up to chapter 4 in part 2 this morning and don't recall anything about the Prof's eating habits. The only thing that jumps out at me is when Kid offered him an egg he declined saying he prefers to eat at home. Can someone please tell me which chapter mentions his glutinous eating habits are in?
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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giselle wrote:
smileyface123123 wrote: I don't think we should see the Professor as distant or unfeeling, he is just doing his job. It will be interesting to see if a friendship develops between them because this will make this professionalism very diffcult to maintain. Also, it will be interesting to see if the Professor is actually interested in research or has alterior motives and is using research as a ploy.
I am liking the Professor. I think he is sincere at this point in wanting to know what makes the combination of homelessness and convicted sex offenders tick. And why the numbers are growing. I think he cares. And he knows that he is smart enough to figure it out. If he gets recognition from his peers that will be the icing on the cake.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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smileyface123123 wrote:I enjoyed the scene where the Professor arrives at Benbow's and meets the 'colourful' characters there. Quite interesting how this plays out, complete with stories of 'Nam'.
I liked that to. Last night we watch Wheel of Fortune and I was thinking of the book and Vanna White.
Last edited by Damifino on Sat Feb 18, 2012 8:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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WildCityWoman wrote:I took it, from these 4 chapters, that at this point in the story The Kidd did NOT want to leave Benlow - he doesn't want to go back to the Causeway.

The Kid seems interested in what the professor is telling him - about Captain Kidd, etc. He seems interested in the history of the place.
The Kid seemed to perk up when he heard that Captain Kydd's first name was Billy. The Kid looks out to sea with a dreamy, fearful half-smile on his face, like an adopted boy who's just been handed the name and address of his birth father.

Now that is the Professor's doing. He has lured Kid. Just like fishing. He dangled the bait in front of the Kid and then set the hook with the promise of bringing him a map where the buried treasure is.

And in order to keep the Kid where the Prof can figure him out he pays for his rent and odd jobs.
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Re: Lost Memory of Skin, Prt. 2, chapters; 1-4

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lindad_amato wrote: I'm still not trusting the Prof. We'll see what happens.
The only thing I have my doubts about right now is I am not sure I believe him when he tells the others that he has a wife and child at home. I was surprised to hear that seeing as he was shy around girls at a younger age and that he would rather be invisible (like Kid).
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