I am writing this within 3 hours since I finished Stud City.
Stud city was good; at least it gave some trouble in my gut. I believe a work meant to deliver a message should give us something to think about, something that’s not so light that you can let it off simply by gulping down water at the dinner table or pissing. For me such works that troubles me to the extent that I have just mentioned are justified from little blasphemies. Even if a work is R-rated and men and women come out naked in the movie and I’ve perchance watched it, I am still proud to say that I’ve watched it as long as it has certain purposes of delivering points of thought that matter in the real world. In the case of Stud city, its portrayal of Eddie(Chico)’s mind lead me to thoughts considering my friends back when I lived in a Canadian public housing with Serbian war-refugees who seemed to grow up so early. Billy’s ignorant actions, especially his cry for an end to the fight, brought back sad memories of my own family when I was only a boy.
But, the first couple of pages shouldn’t be ignored either. One ghost, two feebs, and a thief; not a group one can find very easily in today’s streets. Probably, they weren’t so common back then either. Yet, King’s made it look like as if these boys were just the typical gang one might pass over. Besides that, the story wasn’t too exciting because I didn’t understand several terms frequently used at that time. Still, as we’ve learned from studying the Hero’s Journey, the front part should not be too exotic; rather, it did a fine job of illustrating what a normal day for these four boys might have been like.
It seems like I failed to get out of my after-the fact style even until the end of the first paragraph, so I stayed more focused in the second papragraph
Interesting comments, and some interesting personal details you mention - a housing project with Serbians? It might be difficult in terms of culture and circumstance to identify with The Body, as not only are we in Korea, we are also in modern Korea. But the theme of friendship, as discussed in class today, is something we all can identify with. It seems you've read more than you did when you wrote this, so your views of he boys have softened. They aren't really a gang - they are just young boys.
ReplyDeleteGood post.