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Ungolden Silence
will explore the world of rape and expose the myths through articles that are
based on facts. The main question that needs to be answered is why one human
being would rape another human being. These reasons are explored in a
compelling story that will make the reader ask questions. Beatrice James wanted
to take her co-worker Elaine on her first professional trip, she had to
convince her employers and Elaine’s parents that she wanted to take Elaine on
the trip. Elaine was in charge of the campaign.
Thomas Paige is a well-respected community leader;
however, there is whole other side of side of him. The man can be charming when
he needs to be and that is why he can get away with sexually harassing and
raping women. He began to harass Beatrice but she did not want Elaine to have
to deal with it. Beatrice did not want to deal with the fact that she was being
sexually harassed.
When any crime takes place, the families of the victims as
well as the criminal are involved. Ungolden
Silence will illustrate that the criminal is a real person, and rarely does
he commit crimes just for the fun of it.
It is important to know that rape is a part of violence.
Through the characters of Ungolden
Silence it is hoped that society will begin to find a way to eliminate the
acceptance of violence, which includes the act of rape.
It is through Beatrice, Elaine, and their colleagues that Ungolden Silence begins to explore the
world of rape. Each of the main characters discovers what he has believed about
rape and violence is not entirely true. A good example of this is when the
firm’s secretary is told what happened on the trip. She discovered that some
things that she was told when she was young were a myth.
Through all of the characters, Ungolden Silence offers an
alternative to the everyday acceptance of violence. When it comes to rape, it
tells us that the rapists are human beings and there is a way to curb the
crime.
What does the author wants the reader to take away is that
the story is about a woman was rape while she and her business partner was away
on a business trip. Her business partner is disabled but that is an important
part of the story. However, it is not the main story.
Excerpt:
Shara stepped to the
microphone and said “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Attitudes must change if
this problem is going to be solved. I went to Washington the second that I heard Beatrice
had been raped. The firm had a limo for Elaine and Beatrice so that Elaine
could be as independent as possible. When I got to Washington, the rape and the act that a
“community leader” was accused of rape was a major story. The limo driver just
knew that the lady was a hooker, and he was mad. Again, it was the victim’s
fault. This driver did not have the facts. Why didn’t I set him straight? Well.
I thought I had to protect Beatrice’s privacy right?”
“Right,” the crowd answers
slowly.
“NO, WRONG, ladies and gentlemen. This is what we are talking about;
wrong because RAPE IS A CRIME! When
it comes to sexual harassment or anything about sexual dysfunction, we don’t
listen, we don’t tell. It is personal, private. NO! It is a crime and everybody needs to tell the world. Beatrice
was not the first female that the man raped not even close to the first.”
“Each case of rape is
different. In Beatrice’s case, this man was chasing her all the time that she
was in Washington.
Am I blaming her? To a degree, yes.”
“The audience seemed
repulsed; “People. Please understand that what is being said here tonight is
known by all people in the firm, especially top team members. I am not saying
this to hurt my colleague. This is to make you see and understand what we are
saying. The man who raped her stalked her all week. The women who saw the “bad”
side of him kept quiet. That enabled him to cause more pain. He used that
silence, and his list of victims got longer and longer. The women kept silent
because they did not want to face the attitude that we as a society give them;
oh, it was nothing. It was something when Mr. Paige touched my colleague
inappropriately the second they were alone. She did not want him. We must allow
women to say what they do and do not want men to do to their bodies. We must
change the attitude about sexual problems, and we must listen when a woman is
trying to get a man to stop. When a woman says a man is bothering her, we must
hear and make sure the man understands that he must stop.”
4 Star Review
Let me start off by saying that this book was amazing.. and horrible, an
easy read and a very hard read, fascinating and terrifying. Yes
contradictory.
"Silence is not golden. It is not golden at all when it allows
people to do things that are wrong."
by Mindy K. Wall
Lydia E. Brew was born with cerebral palsy but has not
allowed her physical limitations to stand in her way. Her writing also provides
insights into the world of the physically challenged. She graduated from Texas
Southern University where she received The Society of Professional Journalist
Sigma Chi Citation for Achievement. She was a member of the drama club and
pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Under the leadership of one of her
journalism professors, Miss Brew penned her first book Edith, The Story of Edith Irby Jones, M.D. about the first
African-American to graduate from The Arkansas School of Medicine. Upon
finishing college, Miss Brew worked with the Houston Association of Black
Journalists. She is a Christian and attends St. Timothy’s United Methodist
Church.
Miss Brew founded Lydia’s
Educational and Charitable Organization (LECO) when she decided to encourage
young people to write. LECO did this by sponsoring a yearly contest in which
the contestant had to write about positive role models who were alive and from
the Houston
area. Each student who wrote an eligible essay was given a certificate of
participation. Winning writers received cash prizes.
Her second book Our
Learn Together Book is based on the biography of Dr. Jones. It tells her
story in a simplified format on one page and allows the child to writes his
biography on the other. There are activities in the back where children can
learn developmental skills and older children can learn to do research.
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