How Come Good Literature Has to be Ruined by Bad Sex?
I’ve been putting off writing a review of Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I read it a few months ago (before I even had a blog) and didn’t think I would write about it. Didn’t want to write about it. But I’ve changed my mind. So, here goes, this is me, getting on top of my soapbox.
Personally, I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a great story with wonderful characters. To quickly summarize, the book is narrated by Jacob Jankowski who intertwines two stories: his current life as an old man in a nursing home and that of a much younger Jacob whom once worked as a vet for a traveling circus. Along the way, he falls in love with both Marlena and Rosie, one the beautiful equestrian star, the other the shows elephant. The book takes us literally on a train ride of adventure meeting along the way circus freaks and clowns, engaging characters, and a murder mystery that keeps the pages turning. I thought it was a wonderful story with an ending that literally made me laugh out loud. This book deserves all the hype it has been receiving.
So why my hesitation? What did I find so bothersome about this book? Why do I not want to recommend Water for Elephants to my close friends and family, much less admit to them that I read the entire thing? Hmm . . . how do I put it? Oh, it’s easy: why does so much current literature have so much sex?!! Why do authors feel the need to spell out every single, graphic detail? I’m okay with innuendos and suggestiveness. Just leave it me to fill in the blanks. But why does everything have to be, well, just too much! Is this really okay? Where has our brazen culture taken us? I just don’t enjoy reading what I would consider to be very sexually explicit material.
In Water for Elephants, the story was great and going along so well. Then I hit the first scene and I thought, well, maybe it won’t happen again. Well, it did and then it did again. I wanted to stop reading, put it down, admit that I would never put up with that type of material. But the story had me. Why must such good stories, in my opinion, be ruined in this way. Yes, I understand, we are all sexual beings and how do we write or read about life without sex being brought into the picture? I just question why authors have to get so vividly graphic. Does it really make the story better? Grittier? Edgier? In my opinion, the less details the better.
My gripe isn’t just with this book. This is happening with literature all the time now. One can never know how “safe” a book is anymore. This topic comes up a lot while discussing which books to read next for our neighborhood book group. One must always pre-read the book to deem how appropriate it is. I have to admit, I’ve read my fair share of books with
questionable content, but how does one really find out before getting into the thick of it? This topic has been on my mind quite a bit recently, as I also read The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold and found the same graphic details (by the way, that character is crazy!How you can go off and have sex twice within 24 hours of killing your mother is beyond me! But that’s a whole other story).
So there you have it. Me on my soapbox. I’ve said it. (Now you can go search my library, call me a hypocrite and I’ll cower down in shame!)
Oh, I almost forgot, visit Sara Gruen’s website for more about Water for Elephants and a Reading Group Guide.
Interesting, I must be reading all the wrong (or right I guess) books. I can’t remember the last time I read a book that went further than “and then they embraced. Chapter 2″.
on January 12th, 2008 at 3:25 pmAnother one that I just remembered that I couldn’t finish, besides losing interest at the end, because of graphic sex details was The Three Junes by Julia Glass, which won the National Book Award.
on January 12th, 2008 at 8:43 pmI haven’t read this book so I can’t comment on it specifically, but I totally agree.
I compare it to film making. For years so many of the movies made were so graphic. There wasn’t much suspense, but just graphic killing and brutality. The old Alfred Hitchcock style of film making was lost. I longed to see a good, clean, suspenseful movie.
It seems like there has been a gradual come back to some of that type of film making. In the past couple of years I’ve seen several good suspenseful movies that tell a lot through the use of shadow and sound. When left alone your imagination fills in the details and that is part of the fun.
That is why it is so hard to follow-up a good book with a film. The film seldom matches the details our mind gives the book and the characters. It is a brilliant film-maker that can tell a story using light, and images without giving everything away. Likewise a brilliant writer, I believe, can convey the same meaning without the “graphic details.”
Let the reader create some of the imagery. That is part of the joy of reading a book. If not, we would just go see the movie.
on January 14th, 2008 at 4:56 pmInteresting.
When I started writing I had a real problem with this area.
Should I include “scenes of a sexual nature” ?
What would my Mum think?
What would my wife think?
In the end I had to decide that if the scene was true to the story and character then it should go in.
The problem with not showing sex, is that if it is a natural progression and you don’t go there, then I think you cheat the reader.
You break the honesty of the story telling, or you seem coy or you use silly launguage, or you slip into “telling” instead of “showing”: all of which jar the reader out of the story.
So I think if it is there just to have a sexual scene for the sake of it with the aim to shock or arouse the reader then it is bad writing.
If it is there because it needs to be and it is being honest to the narrative and character, then that is fine.
Sorry to go, I am a Christian and it took a lot of working through for me as a writer to include stuff like sex and swearing into my novel.
on January 15th, 2008 at 3:10 amI have, and I think in the end it can be a thing of beauty if done right, because you are reflecting humanity back to itself in novels in order to connect emotionally with people.
I just finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I thought it was wonderful and one of the best books I’ve read for the last year. This book is a great example to me of sex done very tastefully in literature. There were a few scenes of a sexual nature but it didn’t get graphic, didn’t shock me, but yet gave me enough information to feel satisfied but not uncomfortable about the scene. I don’t think he took me out of the story, in fact it showed his power and ability to use the written word to enhance the story. I think this was a great example. You may read my full review here.
As far as language, I usually don’t even finish a book that uses tons (and I mean tons!) of foul language. I can put up with a moderate amount, but sometimes it gets out of control. If it’s something that I bought then it usually ends up going to charity because I don’t even want it around. I don’t use foul language myself, I don’t enjoy hearing it and I usually don’t enjoy listening to it either.
As I stated in my post, I do agree that sex is part of the human experience and it certainly will play into a story, I just think it can be done tastefully. Because our culture has become so relaxed and less inclined to be shocked by what would have been shocking 75 years ago, it has become more accepted to “tell more.”
I just find it harder and harder to find nice clean literature.
on January 15th, 2008 at 5:08 pmI recently read 2 books, one which had too much sex and one which could do with some.
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk bored me with all the detailed sexual activities. My bad, I should have known, it did say “Fight club for sex addicts”. I took it up knowing that, but it could have been more than just a manual for sex addicts.
The other one, Confessions of a Shopaholic. The author leads me up to a romantic scene and leaves me saying “you know the rest..”. Sure, I know the rest, but I don’t mind a recap.
I guess for me it depends on the book.
on January 16th, 2008 at 10:05 pmI think when you show good chemistry leading up to a scene it is a good read, but then you have books with sexual scenes not supported by a good story, then it just is tedious.
I think it depends upon what audience the author is aiming for.
If the author is writing a sweet romance aimed at that segment of the people who like to read romance, then don’t include graphic sex scenes. The author needs to only hint at the fact that sex is involved. Just like in a movie when the scene fades after a couple is kissing, etc. The movie doesn’t take you into the bedroom to see the action but the audience just knows that the couple is going to have sex.
If an author is aiming for the readers who like their romance hotter, then the author can go with erotic or sensual writing, or go to porn. Erotic or sensual writing takes the reader into the bedroom but doesn’t go there unless it is a natural progression of the story. The erotic or sensual writing does more than hint at sex but it doesn’t do it vulgarly. Porn does and porn has sex scenes just for the sake of having a sex scene in the book. It doesn’t necessarily have a plot, just sex.
I am a published author. I write romance. I write sensual or erotic romance. I take you into the bedroom but there is a reason for doing so…and I do it tastefully.
Kristie Leigh Maguire
on January 17th, 2008 at 8:40 amAuthor of Affairs of the Heart
Sad, sweet, tasteful, distasteful - whatever it is, it’s too much. And it’s not that I’m uncomfortable writing sex scenes - I’ve written them - but I’ve never felt they were necessary. A friend once tried to explain to me that I really am uncomfortable and that I should get more comfortable with my sexuality, so I wrote a scene that made her so embarrassed she could hardly look at me for a week. That was cool.
But I also know that it’s just my opinion - and that even if I don’t care for sex scenes, other people do.
on January 18th, 2008 at 4:31 amI agree with you –too much descriptive sex is off-putting and unnecessary. We all go to the bathroom, too, and sometimes to make a point an author might have to describe the scatological details, but not usually. Some scenes are violent, but I can do with a minimalistic description of the blood and gore. And sex is private. I don’t usually need all the details to be able to follow the story and understand what’s happening. Nor does the exact position of the bodies and the number of times he or she groaned really reveal anything much about the characters or the plot.
on January 18th, 2008 at 11:50 pmI enjoyed your review - now I think I need to read the book - and I agree with you on the detailed sex scenes. I think I “get the picture” with fewer details, and feel more moved with fewer words and less eroticism. More details often equals mechanical writing for me. It’s a real let-down and moves me out of the story and away from the characters rather than in and with.
on January 19th, 2008 at 10:38 amInteresting review and comments. I really liked this book when I read it about a year ago. I don’t remember much about the sex scenes so I probably just skipped them. I do that quite frequently and it tells me the scenes weren’t all that necessary for the plot. Maybe there are a lot of readers who really do enjoy reading about the sex during the story, but I sure hear a lot more complaints wishing it was not as graphic and detailed. No easy answer for this one, is there?
on January 19th, 2008 at 10:44 am[…] reviews Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled […]
on January 22nd, 2008 at 6:42 amWow, this post has gotten a lot of great responses. I appreciate them all.
I thought that I would note, that I started this thread of discussion at one of my favorite forums, The Literature Network. Keep the comments coming here as well, but I thought you would have some interesting reading material over there. As of today, there is 36 responses and 673 page views. Take a look.
on January 27th, 2008 at 12:14 amExplicitly graphic sex scenes do not add to the enhancement of the story or for that matter the movies. I admire an author who can subtly depict sex in a story without being downright raunchy.
on March 3rd, 2008 at 3:04 pmLucy - Yes, yes!! Well said. Why do so many books (and movies) have so many graphic details? Gone are the days when we could pick up a book and not be affronted with all kinds of sexual details. It’s so hard to judge what’s good and bad anymore.
on March 3rd, 2008 at 3:40 pmI had signed up to do this book with a junior at my high school (I teach English there; the student picks the book for a fall reading program we have). As I read the comments, it looks like this probably is NOT appropriate for high school. Would that be correct?
on March 4th, 2008 at 6:19 pmJan - My first response would be no. This book made me squirm. Off the top of my head I could tell you that we walk in on a masturbating dwarf, a detailed, breast slapping, nipple-licking prostitute dance, and the main character is a virgin who can’t wait to have sex one day but isn’t sure if he did one night or not after the prostitute has his way with him performing what I believe is oral sex. These are only the parts that I could remember. I didn’t mention these details in my post but hopefully it will help you make a better decision.
on March 4th, 2008 at 10:39 pmTo all reading this book review - I know from my statistics that this post is one of my most popular on my blog and that I have a lot of readers everyday. Don’t be scared! Go ahead and leave a comment with your thoughts. I would love to continue to hear them!
on March 13th, 2008 at 2:46 pmI agree totally with this discussion and was very disappointed when I had to skip through Water for Elephants. I was wondering if there is a website with reviews that specifically tell you what kind of content are in different novels; just like a rating system for film. Writers can write whatever they want I just want to be warned of it before hand. That way I am making my own choice to subject myself to it and I know what I am getting into. This review has been the most helpful I have found.
on March 17th, 2008 at 10:27 amJackie - It would be great to find out about book content before diving head first. I brought up the discussion of books and sex at a book forum I visit regularly. There were tons of responses you can see at the Literature Network Forum.
As the discussion got going, I also asked this question: What is a good way to “preview” a book if one would like to know details of the content regarding sex, language, and violence. We have a rating system for movies, but not for books. Do you think the industry needs to “rate” the books or at least state what type of content is in them? I’m not sure myself, what do you think?
I got a couple responses saying NO! Visit the link above to read them in full. I do wish book reviews included this type of information more than they do. It’s so hard to find a nice, clean book anymore!
on March 19th, 2008 at 9:47 pmWell, I don’t have the answer for all books but I have started my own blog where I rate books. Each book is rated from 1-5 in the categories of sex, violence, and profanity. Unfortunately, I’m not able to read as much as I’d like to so I don’t have too many books rated but at least it’s a place to start. Come visit at http://goodcleanreads.blogspot.com
on April 2nd, 2008 at 12:43 pmKim - After I visited your blog (which I’ll go back and make some comments), I thought I wonder if she read my “sex in literature” post! Guess you found it. Thanks for the great blog, I’m adding you to my reader and I’ll add your reviews to my Book Bloggers Book Reviews site as well.
on April 2nd, 2008 at 2:04 pmThere was sex in the book, but not that much unnless you’re a strait laced prude. I did not find the sex scenes over done. I don’t know where you’re coming from. Did we read the same book?
on April 6th, 2008 at 9:05 pmI guess I’m a strait laced prude (which by the way there is no need for name calling)! Like I mentioned earlier in my comments (if you read them) there was a nice description of a masturbating dwarf, a detailed, breast slapping, nipple-licking prostitute strip tease dance, and the main character has oral sex performed on him. That’s what I could just think of off the top of my head. I would go back and find more for you but I don’t own this book. I know I’m not the only one who thought there was a lot of sex, just Google Water for Elephants and Sex and you’ll see what I mean.
on April 7th, 2008 at 7:34 amI assumed from your giveaway post that there were no comments on this post…obviously you have quite the following, ’cause no one has commented on MY first posts.
By the way, thanks for the warning on Water for Elephants. I’m planning on reading this book but I might put it off a little longer…I usually skip over the parts in books that have sex…it never seems *real*.
on April 16th, 2008 at 11:33 pmWhoa! Lucy Borik is a little snarky, eh? I’ll be a strait laced prude right along with you, Natasha.
on April 16th, 2008 at 11:34 pmMy book club read this book last summer. Maybe we’re jaded but the sex stuff didn’t even come up in our discussion. I don’t even remember the masturbation scene (maybe I skimmed it). I do remember the dancing prostitute but I thought it just showed how very innocent Jacob was when he first arrived, and the seediness of the traveling circus. You mention an oral sex scene.. it NEVER says oral sex was performed on him.. in fact we don’t know what exactly happens to him in that scene as he is really out of it and wakes up with his face all painted, etc. I didn’t find this book at all offensive and I didn’t think the sex was gratuitous in any way.
on April 19th, 2008 at 9:36 pmLisaMM - Okay, I’ll concede the oral sex thing.
Maybe this is my memory playing tricks on me and he was passed out. Perhaps I assumed incorrectly. I also imagine that circus’s at this time had a lot of “stuff” for lack of a better word going on behind the scenes.
For me, this book was the hair that broke the camels back. It seemed like everything I had been reading lately had so much sex in it, so everything little thing jumped out of me. This book is the one that just happened to get my commentary on how I feel that there aren’t very many “clean reads” anymore.
on April 22nd, 2008 at 8:53 amI read for my book club about six months ago and loved it. I agree with LisaMM, we didn’t discuss the sex scenes in the bookclub in fact, it never came up at all. I obviously did not pay that much attention to it while I was reading!
on April 22nd, 2008 at 6:17 pmThis is a very interesting review on water for elephants. I’ve been hearing tons of good things about this book and its on lots of recommended reading lists. it’s nice to hear someone say more than “it’s an interesting book you just have to read it.”
after your review i’m going to do some more in depth searching on it before picking it up…
on April 24th, 2008 at 6:50 amYou stay on that soapbox and I’ll stand beside you! I’m with you - leave it to the imagination. I guess if people want to read explicit sex they can look for steamy romances and erotica, but for those of us who don’t…
Your’s is the first review of this book that even mentions the sex. Thanks for the warning.
on April 26th, 2008 at 2:50 pmErin - The sex scenes were never between two people but just random things here and there. I personally, could have done without it. All things aside, I did love the story.
Brittany - Everybody LOVES this book. I did as well, but it’s one that I don’t know if I’ll buy.
Booklogged - Thanks! I have seemed to be in the minority on this one as far as reviews, but I still stick with what I’ve said!
on April 26th, 2008 at 11:20 pm(following your suggestions for the book contest)..
on April 27th, 2008 at 4:43 amthis book I happened to have read and enjoyed.. what’s strange is: what I took out of this book was all the parts in the “home” when he was the old man waiting to go to the circus again.. I don’t even remember the sex scenes..wow.
But I do agree I hate “overdone”..same with movies that do that.. I don’t need a 4 minute song while watching a sex scene. I still like the old movies where all the did was disappear off the camera and you “knew” what would happen next lol
This one is in my TBR shelves and I’ve heard so much about it. I don’t usually mind sex in my books, so long as it fits the plot. Now I’m interested in knowing how I’ll feel about this one. I’m more put off by swearing, too much just feels forced no matter what the book. A little swearing seems ok, too much and it seems that the author is relying on the swearing to make the character.
Great conversation in the comments, btw.
on April 27th, 2008 at 12:31 pmThis seems like an especially big problem in historical fiction. I DO NOT NEED TO READ ABOUT HENRY VIII AND ANNE/MARY BOLEYN/CATHERINE HOWARD DOING IT!!! Just give me the suggestive glances, the ordering to the room, the morning after, whatever. I just reviewed “The Last Queen” by C.W. Gortner which is about Juana of Castile, and the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was because of the completely gratuitous sex scenes.
on April 30th, 2008 at 1:15 pmHuh, my only friend who read this book didn’t say anything about sex. He just said that it was okay, but nothing I desperately needed to read.
I’m pretty ambivalent about sex scenes in books. If there’s only a couple, I’m usually cool with skimming. I dislike paying for a book and discovering it’s nothing but strung-together sex scenes. (I read romance, but not erotica.) I prefer the fade-out, but have read a few enjoyable scenes. I’ve also laughed at several, thanks to the ‘Weeping Cock’ community on lj dedicated to snarking bad sex scenes.
When I review, I do try to give some indication of sexual content. I know many of my readers are under 18. And the sex isn’t new - I’ve been encountering it since I was 13. (Perhaps I noticed it more since at that point I hadn’t been entirely sure of just how it happened?)
on April 30th, 2008 at 6:42 pmI actually posted a really similar review of this book on my blog today. I really liked the story - I found it completely engaging, but it made me so uncomfortable that I feel like I have to steer people away from it.
Great review.
on May 8th, 2008 at 9:18 pmKT- Thank you! Thank you! I just went and read your review (everybody can read it here: http://whatktreads.blogspot.com/2008/05/water-for-elephants.html) I completely agree 100%. I was beginning to feel that I was the only one who felt this way about this particular book. Most don’t even remember any sex, I was beginning to think that I imagined it all! But I swear I didn’t. Glad to see that someone else feels the same way.
on May 8th, 2008 at 9:50 pm[…] review here, Julie’s review here, Care’s review here, Natasha’s review here, and Jaimie’s review […]
on May 13th, 2008 at 4:24 pmI really liked “Water for Elephants” so much so I bought it for my sister and husband for Christmas. I forgot all about the sex scenes. They just didn’t stick with me. But the bowl of fresh fruit made me cry and I’ll never forget it.
Please read “People of the Book”. There’s a bit of romance but the sex is a very small part of a dynamic book. The history is amazing, and the characters will stay with you long after you close the book.
on June 3rd, 2008 at 12:46 pmEdwina - Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll look into it for sure. I don’t remember anything about a bowl of fresh fruit. I guess I was paying to much attention to the sex!
on June 3rd, 2008 at 11:43 pmI agree 100% and will also stand on the soapbox with you. I just read this this month and will be writing my review shortly, but I felt the same way.
on June 29th, 2008 at 10:59 pm[…] the explicit scenes, particularly when I had to hear it on an audio CD. I was relieved to find that Natasha from Maw Books felt the exact same way. I think there is a strong minority of readers who are getting fed up with […]
on June 29th, 2008 at 11:22 pm3M - Glad to hear another one willing to take a stand with me!
on July 13th, 2008 at 5:41 pmI just have to say that I disagree with most of the posts here. While the amount of sex included in a novel is an artistic decision to be made by the author, others may or may not agree or be comfortable with it. However, as literature is a form of art I would have to say that in the name of being realistic the author should not leave the sex out just because it makes some readers squirm. Sex is a natual part of life and is found in all literature new and old. I appreciate honesty in literature and I wouldn’t want to ask for censorship of an art form that is so important to me. Isn’t that why we value our freedom of speech so much? I was really surprised to see that so many people were offended by the amount of sex in the novel. I didn’t really notice it and the parts that I did notice only seemed realistic and descriptive, adding to the story. I thought it was especially well done considering that the novel was written from a male’s perspective by a female author which isn’t an easy task when it comes to sex. Just thoght I would share my thoughts on the subject!
on July 21st, 2008 at 2:15 pmI enjoyed the book after I got past the kinky sex at the circus which I had trouble forgetting. I don’t understand why it was #1 on the New York Times best seller list. I have read many books that were much better. It should be interesting to see what the rest of our book club has to say at our next meeting at the end of the month. Diane Cox
on August 7th, 2008 at 4:47 pmMarla - Thanks for your perspective! That’s why I love to get readers interacting. I agree with your freedom of speech bit and am not saying that these types of books should be censored. I’m not one to tell others what they can or can not read. I just wish that there was some way that we could tell what was in a book before starting to read it. We each have our own reading preferences and I’m one that doesn’t like to squirm.
Diane - With the exception of the sex, I loved this book! I would probably love it more if the sex bits weren’t there. I have a difficult time recommending this one because of it.
on August 9th, 2008 at 11:31 pmWater for Elephants was not over done with sex. Ir had just the right amount, not too explicit, no really hot scenes - tasteful, but not vulgar. Worse than too much sex is too many four letter words. Try reading The Jewish Policeman’s Union.
on August 10th, 2008 at 4:36 pm