The Story of Beautiful Girl. Rachel Simon.
"There was a baby.A couple on the run. And they were different. They were not right."
Rachel Simon's literary career started with her bestselling memoir of her intellectually challenged sister, Beth in "Riding the Bus with my Sister."
Her motivation for writing both books was not just about Beth but other less fortunate individuals who were institutionalised. In 1972 a programme was shown on US tv about the Willowbrook State School which "horrified" her family.
"I came to feel remorse that institutional tragedies had unfolded in a parallel universe" one that was alien to Simon. There seemed to have been a "secret history" which had been "kept out of sight for so long." It wasn't just the American "secret shame" but worldwide. Doris Lessing uses shocking but real images based on a German lunatic asylum in "The Fifth Child." In the UK Panorama exposed the "shocking treatment" of its disabled residents at Winterbourne View Private Hospital in Bristol recently. The Daily Express reported on the story with a shocking headline that speaks for itself:" Evil Carers Caught on TV Jailed for Reign of Cruelty."
Another motivating factor was Dave Bakke's book: "God Knows His Name: The True Story of John Doe No.24." It was based on an African American, labelled as "feebleminded" and thrown into an institution like a piece of garbage, branded like an animal, No 24 because no-one knew his name or cared enough to find out. Society dehumanised its most vulnerable.
Simon admitted to being "stupefied, horrified and outraged" and the novel became a strong political statement.
The book is a tribute to the resilience and courage of Lynnie who was "exiled into the wilderness" of a Pennsylvanian School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, a place for "defective" children, like a "trap that snaps closed on an animal." She was originally classified as an upper division "imbecile" and then promoted to the "moron" category. Shocking.
No 42 is the love of Lynnie's life and we as the reader share his suffering and misery. Martha is a retired teacher who abandons her security and promises to "hide" the baby that is bequeathed to her by two runaways, one stormy night. This is Martha's second chance after ironically being denied motherhood with the loss of her own "defective" child a long time ago "the cruelest chaos imaginable."
After the initial shock she relishes the challenge but her life is turned upside down with constant hideaways to avoid anyone finding out the true identity of the child. Then there is Kate, an attendant at the school who recognises Lynnie's gift and shows love towards her amidst the abuse and horror. Salvation at a price.
Beautiful people full of love in a world full of hate for deformity or simply, disability. Martha keeps a meticulous record of Julia's life with her memorabilia attached to give her some kind of identity when she is no longer able to care for her: "Even after I have passed away, you have only to look in the face of anyone you love and you will see me. I am here for you always." Unconditional love. Homan's love for Lynnie is also unconditional, precious and long-lasting.
The lighthouse is symbolically a safe haven for Lynnie and the story begins and ends on this note.
"Can you imagine a better day than this?" with freedom from oppression and dollops of love to finish this lovely tale. I leave you with a similar rhetorical question: "Can you imagine a better novel to read than this one?"
Copyright 2012. Permission to use this article must be obtained from the author.
Rachel Simon's literary career started with her bestselling memoir of her intellectually challenged sister, Beth in "Riding the Bus with my Sister."
Her motivation for writing both books was not just about Beth but other less fortunate individuals who were institutionalised. In 1972 a programme was shown on US tv about the Willowbrook State School which "horrified" her family.
"I came to feel remorse that institutional tragedies had unfolded in a parallel universe" one that was alien to Simon. There seemed to have been a "secret history" which had been "kept out of sight for so long." It wasn't just the American "secret shame" but worldwide. Doris Lessing uses shocking but real images based on a German lunatic asylum in "The Fifth Child." In the UK Panorama exposed the "shocking treatment" of its disabled residents at Winterbourne View Private Hospital in Bristol recently. The Daily Express reported on the story with a shocking headline that speaks for itself:" Evil Carers Caught on TV Jailed for Reign of Cruelty."
Another motivating factor was Dave Bakke's book: "God Knows His Name: The True Story of John Doe No.24." It was based on an African American, labelled as "feebleminded" and thrown into an institution like a piece of garbage, branded like an animal, No 24 because no-one knew his name or cared enough to find out. Society dehumanised its most vulnerable.
Simon admitted to being "stupefied, horrified and outraged" and the novel became a strong political statement.
The book is a tribute to the resilience and courage of Lynnie who was "exiled into the wilderness" of a Pennsylvanian School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, a place for "defective" children, like a "trap that snaps closed on an animal." She was originally classified as an upper division "imbecile" and then promoted to the "moron" category. Shocking.
No 42 is the love of Lynnie's life and we as the reader share his suffering and misery. Martha is a retired teacher who abandons her security and promises to "hide" the baby that is bequeathed to her by two runaways, one stormy night. This is Martha's second chance after ironically being denied motherhood with the loss of her own "defective" child a long time ago "the cruelest chaos imaginable."
After the initial shock she relishes the challenge but her life is turned upside down with constant hideaways to avoid anyone finding out the true identity of the child. Then there is Kate, an attendant at the school who recognises Lynnie's gift and shows love towards her amidst the abuse and horror. Salvation at a price.
Beautiful people full of love in a world full of hate for deformity or simply, disability. Martha keeps a meticulous record of Julia's life with her memorabilia attached to give her some kind of identity when she is no longer able to care for her: "Even after I have passed away, you have only to look in the face of anyone you love and you will see me. I am here for you always." Unconditional love. Homan's love for Lynnie is also unconditional, precious and long-lasting.
The lighthouse is symbolically a safe haven for Lynnie and the story begins and ends on this note.
Copyright 2012. Permission to use this article must be obtained from the author.
I love this review. Thank you so much for reading my book with such an open mind and open heart. You really "got" what I was doing with the story. Lynnie, Homan, Martha, Julia, and Kate thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for writing such a wonderful book. I am proud that you have found time to read my review and liked it. Thank you again, Rachel.
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