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Angry Souls in Books

 An Author depicts a main character darkly obsessed, driven by lust and hypocrisy, narrow, provincial in mindset, xenophobic, intolerant and otherwise angry, embittered with destructive tendencies and violent outbursts of temper ...Would a Reader then have reason to object saying: "I refuse to dignify this author (and their worldview) by naively inhabiting the fictional universe of such a protagonist - accepting their wretched assumptions - cheering on their sordid struggles - while forced (involuntarily) to "sympathize with" or "understand" their backward sensibilities...?" "On what basis?" responds the Author. "Because," says the Reader, "we know that "violence"  and "intolerance" and "xenophobia" - are unacceptable, cringe-worthy, and this narrative makes us complicit in its attempt to "humanize" the persons involved?" "Okay" - replies the Author - "what if we only make him "angry" and "provincial" from the outset - then do you cease questioning him outright?" For now - perhaps, says the Reader, but in 10 years time, I will have less patience for such angry souls...

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