I was going to get the book, A Little Life, after a lot of people recommended it to me. My favorite genre of books are dark fiction and non-fiction books that go into the psychological plagues trauma brings upon a persons mind. I read them too to examine how an author dissects a traumatic event or events and brings the characters into those situations and how the characters progress. What always shocks me is seeing how other people react to these books. I suffered severe childhood trauma in various different ways. So reading these books is sometimes comforting, sometimes I read them with the intent to relate to a character, in the thoughts of the character towards an event that others might not have thought one would even experience. But watching some peoples reactions to books like A Little Life, and becoming nauseous or being in disbelief, I find it shocking. What are the experiences of people who read books who did not read it with intent to relate to the character. Why did you pick the book up? Im interested to see the other side of the coin. Does the emotional experiences of the characters resonate with you? Do you see any parallels within your our own life and the characters?
I have had my fair share of trauma in my life that I’m still trying to find ways to recover from, even in my 30s. It’s given me some pretty low lows, but I have to hold some kind of hope that I can push through to something better. I enjoy reading or experiencing narratives of people go through something similar, or just going through something bad in general. I also find it weirdly comforting.
I think A Little Life is well written and paced. The characters feel real and I can identify with most of the characters while not having gone through the same extent of abuse or trauma as some of them, just because of empathy.
My gripe with the book is the author’s perspective on trauma. She’s stated in interviews that she believes that for some people, life isn’t worth living and that it’s almost selfish to keep them alive. Having this kind of perspective makes the book’s trauma reinforce her thesis which I inherently disagree with. I’ve lost several close friends to suicide. It’s devastating. They were worth fighting for, and their lives were worth living. I can’t help but feel that A Little Life is projecting a horrific message about trauma, that it’s okay to end it if you believe that it’s not worth it, that your trauma is inescapable. A Little Life feels less like a character study on someone experiencing suicidal ideation and more about a character written doomed from the start, per the author’s intent. If not trauma porn, then it’s simply exploitive, or worse, suicide propaganda.
I agree with assisted suicide. A persons struggles are not about the people around them. The person struggling is obviously suffering for a reason. If they aren’t getting what they TRULY NEED, not what others THINK they need, then what more can they do, suffer? I am sorry for your losses, but I support the perspective of the author and im aware that I will get hate for this. I dont wish suicide upon ANYONE or their families ever, but we do not live in a world where systems are built for the disabled and the under privileged. This is a harsh recognition of that. Some people need therapy, community, stability, understanding. But what about people with MDD? Who are not responsive to therapy? Who just keep trying and aren’f getting results? Keep them alive? Why? For your own comfort? I don’t believe suicide should happen, But realistically this world is not kind and lacks resources, education and support. Im not defending the author of this book. Some of her actions are questionable at the very least. But yeah, when someone’s options aren’t working, and they actually have reached many dead ends— it’s cruel to let them continue on for our own comfort- if we cannot actually help them.