How suicide is handled in this book

Use this forum to discuss the July 2019 Book of the month, "Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream" by Dr Frank L Douglas.
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Re: How suicide is handled in this book

Post by briellejee »

ArriettyClock wrote: 27 Jul 2019, 09:55 I think the serious matter was actually handled with dignity and class. However, I think it wasn't actually meant to be seen as humour, but rather as how the character was feeling in the moment. Within depression there is sometimes dark thoughts that come across as humour but are actually completely meaningful.
Agreed. I think the term "humor" is inappropriate and could be seen as insensitive to mental health advocacies.
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SpiritPhoenix wrote: 28 Jul 2019, 12:06 Rather than dark humor, in my opinion, it's just more realistic. After all, the impact of death is heavier on those left behind rather than those who died. It's not really an easy concept to understand. No one sees it coming, especially in cases of suicide, and for young people, it's all the more confusing.
I agree with this, especially about it being a difficult concept to understand. I'm glad I'm not the only one who shares this same thinking. :techie-studyingbrown:
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Post by briellejee »

AntoineOMEGA wrote: 27 Jul 2019, 10:16 Suicide isn't humorous and the author knows this, so I think he handled it seriously because it is a serious topic. It shouldn't be made amusing.
Thank you for this. I certainly didn't find it amusing, and to think that others found it that way makes me believe that awareness of mental health is still not that widespread. I wish the stigma around it will disappear soon.
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Post by briellejee »

Sushan wrote: 26 Jul 2019, 13:42 Giving something to the audience with a bit of humour will register it in the minds more firmly. I think that the writer's intent might have been that
I didn't find it humorous, and others don't as well. If it was the intent of the author, then I think it's a little problematic. I get the dark humor part, maybe we're all just too hung up about it especially when the word "humor" was used since this topic is anything but funny. :eusa-think:
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Post by briellejee »

Aditi Sapate wrote: 29 Jul 2019, 10:56 Dark humour can be tricky. Especially because there's always a chance that someone might get offended. To even be brave enough to try such a thing is truly commendable. Besides, there's still a lot of stigma around suicide. I think we should acknowledge the author for even trying to address such a issue.
Hmm, your perspective is letting me see things differently now. I think the author's intent was not to make it funny (regardless of what others think), but to break the stigma of not talking about suicide openly. Hmm, your comment really taught me what the author might have done with suicide part in his book. And, it was "truly commendable". This is why I like discussions. Thanks a lot! :tiphat: :techie-studyingbrown:
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Post by Ferdinand_Otieno »

deaanbeaan wrote: 17 Jul 2019, 18:44 Do you agree with how the topic of suicide was handled in this book? Personally, I thought it was fantastic and is a great example of dark humour done right. What do you think?
I agree with you. It was an inventive original way to create dark humour that blended perfectly with the book.
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Post by frowngoclownfish »

Misael wrote: 27 Jul 2019, 21:44 Suicide is a sensitive topic and in my personal opinion, should be handled cautiously and seriously in every way.
I completely agree with this. Suicide is a very touchy subject. I think it strikes everyone in a different way. One person might find the way it was handle humorous/done well, but someone else could think it was handled poorly. I think it all boils down to the readers own thoughts and opinions on the topic.
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CambaReviewer wrote: 22 Jul 2019, 13:04 I like it when serious matters are handled in such a way that readers do not find it depressing. I liked the way this topic was handled by the author.
I agree! There's nothing worse than feeling depressed from something you've read in a book. I often like to read historical fiction with a tragic comedy twist to make things more lighthearted.
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Post by kdstrack »

I did not see this account as dark humor. I thought the author was expressing the thoughts that go through one's mind when you are considering suicide. He became acutely aware of his surrounding: the compound, the hibiscus and rose bushes, etc. Once he got to the water, he considered his options. Should he climb the wall or wade into the water? These seem to be aspects that a person considering ending their life would think about - it did not seem like dark humor. I understood it as the honest feelings of a twelve-year-old boy who felt helpless about his living situation.
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Post by briellejee »

kdstrack wrote: 01 Aug 2019, 21:12 I did not see this account as dark humor. I thought the author was expressing the thoughts that go through one's mind when you are considering suicide. He became acutely aware of his surrounding: the compound, the hibiscus and rose bushes, etc. Once he got to the water, he considered his options. Should he climb the wall or wade into the water? These seem to be aspects that a person considering ending their life would think about - it did not seem like dark humor. I understood it as the honest feelings of a twelve-year-old boy who felt helpless about his living situation.
Same here. You worded it well than me though. I think the keyword is "helpless". It was indeed a helpless situation, and it didn't come off as humorous, even if you categorized it on dark humor.
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Post by Storm+ »

I didn't really view the author's contemplation of suicide as "humorous," but, rather, somewhat childlike, particularly in the way in which the author viewed it as a child. I thought he handled the topic well in that it remained a serious topic without being so dark that it was triggering for readers, but I did not find his representation "humorous" in any way.
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Post by briellejee »

Storm+ wrote: 02 Aug 2019, 09:58 I didn't really view the author's contemplation of suicide as "humorous," but, rather, somewhat childlike, particularly in the way in which the author viewed it as a child. I thought he handled the topic well in that it remained a serious topic without being so dark that it was triggering for readers, but I did not find his representation "humorous" in any way.
Glad to see that it wasn't just me feeling about this. I agree that it was not triggering which is a huge one since it's hard to talk about such a topic without walking on eggshells. To find it humorous is not something I like too. There is nothing about it being funny, even as dark humor; and to actually think that that was the author's intent is confusing to me. Thanks for your input! :tiphat:
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Post by InStoree »

I think his puerile thoughts we're genuine for a kid and somehow mature too. Looking from a child point of view, it kind of makes sense all his reflections and questions. For some adults too. Who would want to die attacked by crows in a slow, painful mode? As long as he still had these rational thoughts, I don't think the depression was ample rooted. The way I see it is that this exactly childish judgement distant him from the shore.
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Post by lucia_kizas »

Suicide is a heavy subject, and truly painful to those who have lost their loved ones. So, in my opinion, the author's way of not adding a dark mood to this topic is great. He allows the readers to see he was in this stage but doesn't burden them with the heaviness of suicidal thoughts.
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Post by briellejee »

InStoree wrote: 04 Aug 2019, 00:11 I think his puerile thoughts we're genuine for a kid and somehow mature too. Looking from a child point of view, it kind of makes sense all his reflections and questions. For some adults too. Who would want to die attacked by crows in a slow, painful mode? As long as he still had these rational thoughts, I don't think the depression was ample rooted. The way I see it is that this exactly childish judgement distant him from the shore.
Agree with this. Those were rational thoughts and with him being able to brush it off immediately meant that it was a moment of weakness and desperation.
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