MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2066 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) RE: a really long list, names, the Empire, Blues by "Hill, Susan" 2) by "Li'nia Stormdancer" 3) Re: a really long list, names, the Empire, Blues by "Alexia/Sabrina" 4) A new something to ponder about by Gallen 84 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 16:26:21 -0700 From: "Hill, Susan" To: "'mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk'" Subject: RE: a really long list, names, the Empire, Blues Message-ID: <872A9D7CC09CD11188CE00805FBB042E03A0360F-+AT+-emswwc7.weyer.com> Here's a question - How do people feel about Misty's personification and perception of prostitution in her books? I know in Rune's world she is very adamant about it just being "another service," but can anyone else show me other references in other worlds? I personally am not sure I'm cool with that perspective, but I speak from my own perception of the biases here, so thats a problem. And intellectually, I can understand the arguement. But the instinctive part of me goes "ewwwwww." :o) Just curious as to what you guys think... -S Susan Hill GT Football Starts 9/4! GO JACKETS!!! "We can't all, and some of us don't. That's all there is to it."- Eeyore ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 02:58:33 -0700 (PDT) From: "Li'nia Stormdancer" To: List Message-ID: <19990831095833.23892.rocketmail-+AT+-web601.yahoomail.com> Heyla List-Sibs! *Li'nia sticks her head in the archway leading to the Arena of Discussion and Dissention, and looks both ways....seems to be quiet....* *She lurches forward as she receives a shove in the back of her legs. She glares down at Styx. "Stupid cat!" He gives her a look of feline reproach, and walks into the Arena. She shakes her head and follows him...* Can someone tell me if this is getting through to the List? My mailbox is all messed up, and I've been gone for a few weeks, playing soldier and all that happy stuff... Thanks! === ---<---<---<----+AT+- Li'nia Stormdancer -+AT+---->--->--->--- Stormdance k'T'more y Kuus, Peon to the Powers That Be, Devotee to the OoUH, (Hopeful)Goddess of All Things Possessed, Mindmate to Styx A'ska, Caretaker of the Arena of Discussion and Dissention __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 09:18:59 +0100 From: "Alexia/Sabrina" To: Subject: Re: a really long list, names, the Empire, Blues Message-ID: <02ec01bef3b3$f4fd7760$87cc28c3-+AT+-oemcomputer> >Here's a question - How do people feel about Misty's personification and perception of prostitution in her books? I know in Rune's world she is very adamant about it just being "another service," but can anyone else show me other references in other worlds? Well, there's some about it in 'Born to Run', which I found disturbing and unpleasant... I did NOT like that book at all. It dealt with child prostitution but the main character... well, I just kept hoping that she would die! Her parents were strict and closed minded but they did not abuse her sexually, physically or emotionally and this stupid child ran away and started selling herself! I just wanted to strangle the idiot child. The other two children didn't have much of a choice in the matter. BUT the matter above is really concerning the fact that the author's views are not necessarily represented by the characters. When you write a prejudice character, it doesn't mean you're prejudice- it means that you're presenting the character's VIEWS. I certainly write a lot of character with whom I would disagree violently in terms of beliefs and views. It's very hard to separate what the author thinks and what the characters think. I think where it seemed she was portraying it as 'just another service', she was trying to portray the view of the people of that world. This view was widely held through a great deal of history. I didn't think it was necessarily Misty's view- rather that it wasn't but that's what the characters would think so she portrayed that rather than what she thought to keep with accurate characterisation. As to prostitution... In Born to Run there are three child prostitutes, and she portrays two out of those three sympathetically. Both seriously abused and run-aways, they didn't have much choice about what they were doing... Plus, both already had such low esteem from being abused that they couldn't break that abusive cycle even though they'd run away from an abusive home. This is very true- a large number of prostitutes and especially child prostitutes have been abused and have runaway and they don't think that it matters because it's too late for them anyway and they don't deserve any better. I thought that was disturbing but written with understanding of the topic and issues involved. The main girl though... DIE, DIE, DIE! That's just my view and everyone else is perfectly entitled to their own and I won't try and persuade them to my POV, but I wish to express mine vehmently- no insult is intended in it. I just think that many people, like the other two child prostitutes, didn't have much of a choice in what they were doing... But she did. Her parents were that bad at all! I think if you're desperate enough to sell yourself as a child, then you should have a bloody good reason and she didn't. Speaking as a charity trustee who has seen and worked with abused people for a long time, that she would do that is repuslive in the extreme to me. Adult prostitution... Well, I think my problem with it is that most people doing it are probably continue a cycle of abuse and that's very sad- having such low self-esteem they cannot live without being abused effectively. It doesn't mean they want to be abused- that's a very mistaken view held by many- it means that they think they deserve it. If someone enjoys their job, has good self-esteem and is content then I don't see much of a problem with it. I think that that being the case is extremely unlikely however. Anyway, just my views. Feel free to disagree, so long as I can yell as loud as I like when I want:) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 12:51:53 -0400 From: Gallen 84 To: mercedes-lackey-+AT+-herald.co.uk Subject: A new something to ponder about Message-ID: <19990831.125154.-319611.0.gallen84-+AT+-juno.com> Since companions come back as heralds and vice versa, isn't it possible that when they come back, they stay with their Chosen or companion, which solves the problem of Companions knowing who to choose. The reason I think this is because, we know that Sayvil is Savil. Kerowyn and Savil's Companion Kellan could be the same. Silve came up with an idea for my webpage, and we were wondering if it was legal. The idea was that I could put music on my webpage inspired by Misty's work. Not the "official" music, just things created my "amateur bards". Gallen, aka Wingsister Silvertalon Loyal Subject of the Great Spork Empire Knight of the Order of Amber and Marigold (Hopeful) Member of the Order of Unsung Heroes http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dreamworld/9782/ ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj. ------------------------------ End of MERCEDES-LACKEY Digest 2066 **********************************