Southern Writers Book Discussion

I haven't written anything yet about the books because I just couldn't finish Fair and Tender Ladies. It just seemed so sad. Nothing went right and I skipped ahead and it seemed nothing was ever going to get better. It is just hard for me to read one bad thing happening after another. I was talking with a co-worker about the way I feel. She (who will remain nameless just in case she minds) said that some people feel like it is a catharsis to read a very emotional book because they go through emotions they had buried and get them out. I wonder, why do you want to put yourself through that? I remember going through that once, the story was very similar to something I had gone through in life and it did feel as if I was reliving it, but again, WHY? I did not feel better afterwards. I just felt like I had been through it all again.


That is my attempt at explaining why I do not care to read fiction that just relates one problem after another. For instance with The World Made Straight, I don't like reading about these people that just wallow in their misery. Okay, so I haven't finished it either. I am trying. I just don't like the story at all. And to comment on Ron Rash's writing wouldn't be fair of me. The only writing I've ever done is letters to family and friends and this blog. Although, I will say, Ron Rash does seem a little wordy to me. So I will pick the book up again and try. Did I say that I had a nightmare after one of the chapters? It was after the chapter where the young guy got kidnapped by the people who planted the pot. That was horrible. But I am going to skim through it to see if things get better.



Okay, so, I thought, maybe I could just read the questions for discussion and read those pages and see what I think. First, yeah, I agree with most everyone else, Travis and Leonard are drawn together because of their similarities. Similarities in life experience and personality. They have both been treated unfairly and they have pot in common at first. In a way Leonard was good for Travis. He tries to encourage him to better himself, unlike he has done for himself. Leonard has just let himself go to pot. (Pardon the pun) But it isn't altogether the best thing that they met.
Question 3. Selfishness and greed motivate Toomey. And likely the way he was treated as he was reared. I haven't read the whole story so I can't say that I have seen him be sympathetic in the story at all.
4. Maybe their life seems unreal, so the past seems more real. It is documented. I have no idea about how they are affected by the past as time goes on. I skimmed and couldn't get it.
5. He could possibly have eventually left his father's house for a much better place. Even better for him than Leonard's.
6. To me, the epigraph shows man's search for answers to questions they don't really want the answers to.
7. Leonard says he plead guilty because the sheriff's deputy said it would be best. As far as Kera's explanations, it's hard for me to say. Maybe he really believed the deputy when he said it would only get worse if he took it to court and then there was the kid's father who was on county council who I suppose could have really made it hard on Leonard.
8. Again, I didn't read enough to know exactly why Dena went with Toomey. Leonard thought something about her "giving in". Did I miss something there? Did Toomey's have something on her or did they threaten her? Anyway, the line of Carlton's, "Don't worry, we just want her for the weekend." Is a VERY good example of why this book disgusts me. It is just one gross thing after another. Granted, Travis tries, but do I really have to read through all that mess to get, what? out of this book? Okay, on to
9. Maybe he is really afraid he isn't good enough for Lori. I have heard of people sabotaging relationships because they don't really think it will work out anyway. I guess I didn't read what Travis has learned from Leonard that could add to his anger. I totally skipped the part where he tried to save Dena and punish Toomey.
10. I suppose living near that whole Shelton Laurel place affected how they looked at life. It was Travis' relatives that died there right? The only thing that I have ever done that could help me consider living in a different landscape was to go out west to Las Vegas. Seeing the desert made me see how different an area can be. It felt so open. I wonder if that makes for a more open person. I would feel as if the world could see and know me better somehow.
11. I don't think it was a frustration with language. A frustration with language makes it sound that he can't say what he wants to. He could, he just realizes that sometimes words cause trouble. So many times people don't stop to think about how what or how they say something will affect the hearer of their words. And then, sometimes people take what you say completely differently from your intent or twist and turn your words to incriminate you.
12. I really did think about why he would have chosen "The World Made Straight" for the title, and I just can't think except that maybe he considered Travis' world made straight because his and Leonard's sure were crooked worlds.