Essays 23, 24 and 25 Summary and Analysis

Essay 23: Careful What You Let in the Door

Although some writing colleagues complain about their job, Barbara recognized writing as challenging and flexible and, if you hang in there long enough, rewarding. Her fan mail was entertaining—she received letters containing everything from concepts for new novels to students asking for help on their term papers. Although some readers criticized her writing, most were of a positive nature.

Barbara's older works tended to have some violence—later she learned that subtext and rhetoric like metaphor were much more powerful tools in telling her stories. She felt that many books and movies exploited the vulnerability of women—like "Silence of the Lambs"—and have a negative impact on society. Many sociologists agree that watching violence can lead to one acting out violently. A book or film...