Cathie
asked
Ken Wheaton:
Just began reading "The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival", and as a grandparent of a child with a chromosome disorder, I take offense to your use of the word "retarded" and your comment about special ed. My question is; "Why didn't you use the word disability instead of the r word?", and "Why didn't the people who provided feedback find this word offensive?"
Ken Wheaton
Hi Cathie,
Thanks for the question. I don't want to get into a long-winded discussion about fiction vs. non-fiction, but this is fiction. I'd never use the words or the phrases in an essay or something I wrote for work. But the characters in this fictional universe would. As you know, these words sort of just fly out of people's mouths. And one of the points I'm trying to make about Father Steve is that he's as much a 30-something regular, sometimes insensitive dude than anyone else. You'll note that even though he's a priest and even though he has his sensitive moments, he's smoking, drinking, cursing, even using the lord's name in vain. And this book is from his point of view. And Vicky -- she's the one who uses the r word -- tends to be blunt to the point of not caring. These characters aren't saints. Not by a long shot. So they have thoughts that they shouldn't maybe think or at least shouldn't say out-loud. Note that as bad as he is at many things, Father Steve doesn't SAY some of what he's thinking. For some people that's progress.
That said, I notice now that I basically fell back on the same set-up twice -- the special-ed comment and then the short-bus comment -- which goes beyond making any sort of point and is just lazy.
Either way, thanks for bringing it up. It's something I'll keep in my mind moving forward.
Thanks for the question. I don't want to get into a long-winded discussion about fiction vs. non-fiction, but this is fiction. I'd never use the words or the phrases in an essay or something I wrote for work. But the characters in this fictional universe would. As you know, these words sort of just fly out of people's mouths. And one of the points I'm trying to make about Father Steve is that he's as much a 30-something regular, sometimes insensitive dude than anyone else. You'll note that even though he's a priest and even though he has his sensitive moments, he's smoking, drinking, cursing, even using the lord's name in vain. And this book is from his point of view. And Vicky -- she's the one who uses the r word -- tends to be blunt to the point of not caring. These characters aren't saints. Not by a long shot. So they have thoughts that they shouldn't maybe think or at least shouldn't say out-loud. Note that as bad as he is at many things, Father Steve doesn't SAY some of what he's thinking. For some people that's progress.
That said, I notice now that I basically fell back on the same set-up twice -- the special-ed comment and then the short-bus comment -- which goes beyond making any sort of point and is just lazy.
Either way, thanks for bringing it up. It's something I'll keep in my mind moving forward.
More Answered Questions
Wendy
asked
Ken Wheaton:
I am so excited we are reading your book The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival in our book club for the month of November. I loved it!!! I have the lead for the book discussion. I would love to get your opinion on what you loved most about that book. Who was your favorite person to write about in the book. (Mine was Miss Rita!). Thank you!
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