An error of judgement
Pamela Hansford Johnson
This is one book that I had deferred reading for a long time. I bought a long time ago but decided giving it a miss umpteen times over other books with more alluring covers! I should read it earlier. The book gives a dark description of human behaviours; in marital, medical, theological and social lives. It goes on to show how difficult it is for one to carry on living a modern life. Unlike a conservative society where gender roles, parental duties and offspring expectations are cast in stone, the rules in modern living are quite fluid. Everybody feels his needs has to be met. He lives for himself, not for the society, not for family. Every man is for himself. It is the generation of self. Above all, it is all about self-liberation, self-expression, self-fulfillment and self-satisfaction. In the good old days, the same actions could constitute self-indulgence, self-gratification and selfishness.
This obscure book tells the story of a psychiatrist and his ragtag group of patients/'friends' who had regular meetings for self-help purposes. The story is told from the viewpoint of Victor, an engineer by profession, who had a chance meeting at a professional level for a medical condition. From there the psychiatrist, Setter, went on to invite Victor's wife and his mother in law to join a group therapy. Victor's mother-in-law had depression following debilitating arthritis and lack of self-confidence. Victor's wife, Jenny, also develops guilt and anxiety issues coping with her mother and later, guilt over her mother's death.
In the group were other interesting characters, a spinster from Victor's office, a pastor, a juvenile delinquent and others. Setter has his own issues to tackle; his suppressed inner desire to afflict pain and violence and his disillusionment with his career. An old lady is brutally killed in what appeared like mischief by a band of hooligans and the delinquent in the group is the prime suspect.
Victor is also puzzled by Setter's strange marital relationship. His wife is openly flirting and moving around with a much younger man without creating any spark on Setter's side.
A strange saga of moral and marriage dilemma. The writing, in my opinion, opens one's mind to the mores of the world that we live in together without taking the higher ground and passing judgement. It is just the evolution of society that the older generation has to learn to accept. What is the norm if it is not just consensus?
This is one book that I had deferred reading for a long time. I bought a long time ago but decided giving it a miss umpteen times over other books with more alluring covers! I should read it earlier. The book gives a dark description of human behaviours; in marital, medical, theological and social lives. It goes on to show how difficult it is for one to carry on living a modern life. Unlike a conservative society where gender roles, parental duties and offspring expectations are cast in stone, the rules in modern living are quite fluid. Everybody feels his needs has to be met. He lives for himself, not for the society, not for family. Every man is for himself. It is the generation of self. Above all, it is all about self-liberation, self-expression, self-fulfillment and self-satisfaction. In the good old days, the same actions could constitute self-indulgence, self-gratification and selfishness.This obscure book tells the story of a psychiatrist and his ragtag group of patients/'friends' who had regular meetings for self-help purposes. The story is told from the viewpoint of Victor, an engineer by profession, who had a chance meeting at a professional level for a medical condition. From there the psychiatrist, Setter, went on to invite Victor's wife and his mother in law to join a group therapy. Victor's mother-in-law had depression following debilitating arthritis and lack of self-confidence. Victor's wife, Jenny, also develops guilt and anxiety issues coping with her mother and later, guilt over her mother's death.
In the group were other interesting characters, a spinster from Victor's office, a pastor, a juvenile delinquent and others. Setter has his own issues to tackle; his suppressed inner desire to afflict pain and violence and his disillusionment with his career. An old lady is brutally killed in what appeared like mischief by a band of hooligans and the delinquent in the group is the prime suspect.
Victor is also puzzled by Setter's strange marital relationship. His wife is openly flirting and moving around with a much younger man without creating any spark on Setter's side.
A strange saga of moral and marriage dilemma. The writing, in my opinion, opens one's mind to the mores of the world that we live in together without taking the higher ground and passing judgement. It is just the evolution of society that the older generation has to learn to accept. What is the norm if it is not just consensus?
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