boys stories
I’ve just read two books for teen readers that portray very different experiences of sexual assault—both through the eyes of boys. Target, by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson (Roaring Brook Press, 2003), is about a boy named Grady who is the victim of a gang rape.
The second book is Inexcusable, by Chris Lynch (Atheneum, 2005), which came out the week before Strong at the Heart was released. Inexcusable is told in the voice of high school senior, athlete, and self proclaimed “good guy” who rapes his date on the night of the prom.
Surprised? Young adult literature is taking some interesting turns. Editors have been open to new viewpoints and tough material for quite a while now and that has allowed for the exploration of themes like rape and abuse.
on target?
Inexcusable will be a tough read for some survivors, but Chris Lynch has done something very interesting here. Readers can see the self-justification that allows Keir to believe he is a “good guy.” His family’s attitudes and male sports culture reinforce this skewed self image.
The book goes a long way in exploring how date rape happens and how denial functions. And although the book is told through Keir’s twisted and unreliable viewpoint, his victim—Gigi—emerges as a clear and honest voice. “You raped me,” she tells him. She has been traumatized and deeply betrayed, but she will not let him off the hook.
Target is more problematic for me–although I was happy when I found it. There is a huge hole in the literature. One out of every five to six boys experience sexual abuse, but there are very few novels for teens that explore the sexual victimization of males. This one promised to tell that story. (You can find others on the web resources pages on this site.)
The trouble I have with Target, is that Grady is so passive. After a brutal and humiliating assault by two older men and the disdainful response of police, the tall, athletic sixteen-year-old sinks into depression and anorexia. He abandons his solid, caring friends, and hides out by attending a school across town. He barely functions.
Every step forward in the book is made by other people—most especially a lively African American classmate who shows phenomenal determination to reach Grady and shake him loose. Throughout the book, Grady doesn’t do a thing to help himself.
I wonder, if I was in Grady’s position, would it help to read this book? Shame, depression, isolation–these are all part of the post traumatic experience. But the story seems to set up the expectation that if you get raped, you’ll be a basket case and that others will have to come to your rescue. Maybe it is the pity that the other characters feel for him that sets my teeth on edge.
Help me here. I want to recommend more good books about boys’ experiences. Have I missed something? Is Grady credible?
