When Morals and Books Collide

[main-hoon-emily.livejournal.com]

I was going to just post this on my journal, but then I thought it might be better received here.

When it comes to what you read, how do you respond to characters or themes or plots that go against what you consider to be morally or religiously right?

Generally, I won't put down a book that has morally questionable content unless I dislike the writing style or the plot. But then, I'm not talking about truly repugnant subjects but things like, do the characters sleep together even though they aren't married? Does someone keep taking the Lord's name in vain or using the f-word every time they talk? Are the unpleasant activities described because they're necessary to the plot, or is this just a chance to wallow in filth?

There are a lot of books I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, though, because of what I know them to contain (either I started reading them and came across something distasteful, or I've heard about it from someone who did read them), and I've just been curious how others approach this. I don't want to give specific examples because I don't want to turn this into a debate about whether such-and-such a book was bad or good, but just in general. And, if you want to go a step beyond that, are you satisfied with the lines you have or haven't drawn, or do you feel that you're too permissive or too conservative?

Bleh, I hope this all makes sense!

Comments

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

I know exactly what you mean, so yes, it does make sense. I recently read a book that I assumed I was going to love because of what I had heard about it, but the main character's morals were so different from mine that I almost felt dirty reading it. She did redeem herself in the end, but it wasn't enough. Looking objectively at it, I can see it's a good book (as in captivating and well-written), but as most of it was spend justifying behaviour I find utterly amoral, I just couldn't like it.

It'll take a lot for me to put down a book though, because I always want to see if the characters redeem themselves in the end. Sometimes they do, and I'm glad I kept on with it. At other times I just want to burn the book afterwards.