So….Tuesday.
I mentioned a week or so ago about the Spoiler Pages and the traffic they can drive, especially when a book becomes a movie. Current example of that is ROOM by Emma Donoghue, read and reviewed in 2010, reviewed by my book club in 2011, and then of course the SPOILER PAGE…
and it is that Spoiler Page that is drawing the attention now.
The movie, just released and is currently at our theater here in town.
What is the hot topic? In the book, (I have not seen the movie) Jack is 5 and still breast feeding. The book is told from Jack’s perspective. It is discussed in the book that when he is hungry he will say “want some” and then he will breast feed. It was something that made me double take, as well as my book club and it was admittedly, a part of our discussion. We understood the reasoning behind it in the book, they never know when and if food will be coming.
What is happening on the spoiler page for the most part is opinions on breast feeding as well as the occasional jab at me for admitting on that page that I found that part of the book a little disturbing to my mid western upbringing. 🙂 It is an interesting discussion, and really always has been. I even interviewed the author, Emma Donoghue about this topic and she said she was surprised the reaction, especially from the US. Here was what she wrote to me in 2011…
Emma: Finally, your breastfeeding question. It seems to me that Jack mentions it pretty rarely, actually: he gives far more analysis of what they have for lunch and dinner. But it’s such a touchy subject (especially, I’m finding, in the US) that it stands out. I kept it in because it seemed entirely natural that Ma would keep up that most comforting part of the mother-baby bond as long as they are living very much like a mother-and-baby (never apart, never socializing with other people) in ROOM.
Has anyone seen the movie? A friend of mine told me last night she had seen it. I asked her if it was a movie theater movie or a Red Box movie. She said Red Box. Any other thoughts on that?
Any hoo….. that’s what is happening on Book Journey today.
Things are starting to move here now. It has been a fairly quiet winter for which I am grateful. It has been nice to have time to process and grieve at my own pace. Now, in March, we have our spring book sale next week. The week after that on the 18th is the Gatsby Event. Then we will start working on Wine and Words, April will bring an Edible Book Fair, May a benefit, June Camp…..
Here we go.
Book Journey 
I have not seen the movie yet, but I admit I did a bit of a double take when I read that part in the book. But then I realized why she was doing it and I got it. I find it interesting that most of the questions have come from people in the US. It was a great book though.
Good morning, Sheila. This is the second Room post I’ve read this morning. I would definitely like to see the movie.
I haven’t seen the movie but I am wondering something that maybe some others missed: the point of the breast-feeding is to keep her son alive & well and happily bonded to her *because of their situation, which is extremely unusual*.
Would she still be breastfeeding at age 5 if she had a more conventional lifestyle? I think probably not, and it’s not a big deal, though it does play into the plot well. I think it was very shrewd of the author to add that detail to the story.
I agree, that was a big discussion with our book club. “Ma” not knowing if the meals would stop had to have a way to supply her son with nourishment. It was an excellent plot play.
I’ve had the book since it was released but haven’t read it. I had no idea that subject was in it. I haven’t seen the movie either.
I haven’t seen the movie yet, but I liked the book. That being said I had forgotten about the breast-feeding moments. I couldn’t even tell you what I thought of them while reading about them… This is what happens when you read too much. Opinions blur…
I saw the movie, and the one scene with breast-feeding was so discreet that I almost missed it. And then later, after they “escape,” there is a mention…and Ma says “empty,” referring to her breasts.
I think it was necessity that kept that practice going for those two. I have seen other shows in which children that old are breast-feeding, and the reactions of other characters in those shows were negative. The show that comes to mind was The Slap, and lasted only one season, but the characters doing the breast-feeding were also poor disciplinarians and watching the show, I really didn’t like them. I wonder if these were scenes purposely created for that reaction?
Interesting…right?
It is, it is a subject I had not given much thought about until ROOM
I haven’t read the book or seen the movie yet but I may in future.
it took me a while when reading the book for the penny to drop what Jack was talking about when he said he wanted some. the reaction when they get to the hospital felt quite natural to me.