Monday, October 10, 2011

Bonnie and Shirley ~ LCL is tedious and tiring

Here's question #5 from the original Lady Chatterley's Lover post.

5. Do you think the novel is obscene or vulgar?

This book was banned in the United Kingdom and in the United States, and that's why I started reading it during Banned Books Week.  But I still haven't finished it.  I've found the endless descriptions to be tedious, and the characters do nothing but talk or take long walks (describing the scenery) or have sex, which seems almost more perfunctory (hasty, superficial, indifferent, apathetic) than obscene. Shirley's complaint, left on my earlier post, is similar.
The book has some somewhat erotic scenes (far less so far than the title suggests) with a rather tiring amount of discussion that makes one want to scream the Nike slogan, "Just Do It!"
Shirley also asked a question:
As we started to read this, Pat Robertson commented that the spouse of someone suffering from Alzheimer's disease has grounds for divorce. Rather startling given his conservative background. It did, however, make me think of the book as, even though Clifford does know his wife, he is unable to fulfill part of his marriage. Would that fall in with Robertson's approval of justification for divorce? Does Clifford's physical inability morally justify adultery especially given his approval?
Maybe she could get a divorce  if she wanted it, but I don't think Connie -- Lady Chatterley -- wants one.  Clifford annoys me, and his reason for "approving" of adultery is so Connie will have a child FOR HIM.  He wants one who will continue the Chatterley line and doesn't seem to care about Connie one way or the other.

7 comments:

Bonnie Jacobs said...

I see nobuddy has discovered this post yet, so here's an emailed comment -- limited to ten of us who are official Book Buddies.

Shirley said...

The more I read of the book the more annoying Clifford becomes. His feelings of superiority with the ruling class/industrialists being the ones who should rule over the working classes whom he implies to be like animals reminds me of the political dogma in Atlas Shrugged. It is interesting though that even though he stresses the superiority of the ruling class, he does think that if he raises a child of average or higher intelligence that this child will be of the ruling class regardless of the child's biological father. Apparently, he does believe that nurture triumphs over nature.
I can't tell what his feelings about Connie are. His most genuine love is definitely self directed though.

Jennifer said...

Just checking back and I think I am noticing that I am not getting comments posted emails anymore. I do not mind if you took me off the list Bonnie, though I do not think you did and want to let you know that they don't seem to be working anymore.

PS I just checked my trash and spam in case they were getting caught.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Jenn, I just looked to see which ten are getting notified when comments are posted on this blog, and you were right that I had taken your name off. I apparently had added someone new, so I put yours back on and deleted one of those "temporary" folks. You (and nine others) should get this in an email, unless your email address has changed since you joined Book Buddies.

Shirley said...

I received two of the comment notifications so you might check to make sure I'm not included twice. However, I do appreciate the notifications as that is generally the only time I check the blog.

As my reading progresses, I am adding the gamekeeper to the list of annoying people. Maybe if there was a character I liked, the reading would be more enjoyable.

Bonnie Jacobs said...

Amen to that, Shirley! LOL. But nope, only one email to you. Something flubbed up, I guess.

(If any of you are getting these notices and want to be taken off the list, please either leave a comment on the Book Buddies blog or email Bonnie at emerging DOT paradigm AT yahoo DOT com.)

Jennifer said...

Thank you, Bonnie. I appreciate it.