Annotated Bibliography

Grubb, Amy, and Emily Turner. "Attribution Of Blame In Rape Cases: A Review Of The Impact Of Rape Myth Acceptance, Gender Role Conformity And Substance Use On Victim Blaming." Aggression & Violent Behavior 17.5 (2012): 443-452. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

This article explains the different reasons and theories as to why blame is put on so many other people other than the rapist during rape cases. It also goes on to further discuss gender roles and specifically how "women who violate traditional gender roles are attributed more blame than those who do not". This specifically ties into my topic because I will be explaining why Lee's outburst against the EPA and government was put under more scrutiny than Cully's far worse crime of raping Willa, simply because Lee is a woman with a sub par reputation.

Herbert, Bob. "Punished For Being Female." New York Times 02 Nov. 2006: A27. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

This article explains the different ways that women are legally mistreated, abused, and blamed throughout the world. It explains how little a woman valued and how the justifiable reason for mistreating these women is simply because that they are indeed female. This will tie into my analysis on why people have a lack of respect towards and an underestimating of Lee.

Dupuis, Darcy R., et al. "To Dissent And Protect: Stronger Collective Identification Increases Willingness To Dissent When Group Norms Evoke Collective Angst." Group Processes & Intergroup Relations 19.5 (2016): 694-710. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Nov. 2016.

This article explains different reasons as to why individuals dissent and revoke group norms. It explores the possibilities of whether or not the dissenter has the group's well being in mind or their own well being in mind. It specifically states that "identifiers holding non-normative opinions would be more willing to dissent" which would again pertain to Lee's dissent against the EPA and her citizens of Friendswood.

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10 Questions, Topic, & Thesis Statement

Original Questions:

1. Specifically focusing on Hal, what are the his motivations for blaming his son Cully's actions on anyone and anything other than Cully himself?

2. What was Hal hoping to accomplish through acting as though Cully raping Willa was not a big deal?

3. Was Lee's intended destruction of the EPA successful? Why or Why not?

4. Based on the characters in Friendswood, is it harder to self-blame or push the blame onto others?

5. Why were the repercussions different for Cully's actions against Willa and Lee's actions against the EPA?

6. Is it the "norm" in Friendswood to try to protect the reputations of some citizens but disregard those of others?

7. What truly determines one's reputation and who decides whether or not it is a good or bad one?

8. Can the institutions in Friendswood (the EPA, the police, etc.) honestly admit that they have done everything in their power to protect their citizens?

9. What were the motives for the EPA's dismissal of the still clearly present toxins in the soil?

10. Now that Willa is beginning to move on and find closure from her rape, will her hallucinations finally begin to dissipate?

My Topic:

I will be focusing on "Why were the repercussions for Cully's actions against Willa different than those for Lee's actions against the EPA?". However, my more broad topic is what characteristics or attributes, if any, cause institutions or citizens of Friendswood to be biased towards their fellow people. (For example: what made Cully more forgivable than Lee even though Cully's actions were clearly worse than those of Lee)

Thesis:(something along these lines)

In a small, close-knit town such as Friendswood, reputations can make or break a person. That being said, if someone with a negative reputation begins to act out against the societal norms, that person will be punished more than another person who commits a more unlawful crime but who has previously had a positive reputation.

Discuss Mr. and Mrs. Lambert's response to Mr. Garcia. Was it true protection of Willa?

Discuss Mr. and Mrs. Lambert's response to Mr. Garcia. Was it true protection of Willa?

Willa Lambert, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lambert, has already faced a great deal of physical, psychological, and social suffering as a result of being a victim of a rape that had taken place at a high school party. However, while her parents have attempted to "protect" her throughout the rest of this experience, it seems as though they are preoccupied with protecting their familial reputation and privacy rather than their daughter, Willa.

When approached by the police officer, Mr. Garcia, at their home regarding the status of Willa's rape (whether or not they will report anything or press charges), Mr. and Mrs. Lambert refuse to cooperate claiming that they "do not want this (the rape) to get out, it's not fair to her and it's not fair to us" (p. 334) and that Willa has suffered enough. However, while they most likely believe that their actions are protecting and helping Willa, they are in fact worried about protecting themselves instead. By forbidding Willa to tell the authorities, or anyone at all, about the rape and forcing her to uncomfortably go to church and pray for herself, they are not allowing Willa to do what SHE needs to do in order to obtain closure from this horrible situation. That being said, the Lamberts are not purposely trying to hurt Willa, however their actions are focused on the good of the family rather than the good of their daughter, therefore it cannot be said that they are doing everything that they can to protect her.

Reading Log Questions

Question #1: Discuss Dex’s mother’ reaction to learning that perhaps Dex attended the party.  Who does she blame?  What does her response reveal about her character?

Upon learning about the incident involving Will and Cully and the rest of the party at the Lawbournes, Dex's mom instantly becomes infuriated. However, it is revealed that she wholeheartedly trusts Dex, therefore does not even question him as to whether or not he was at the party. Instead, she blames the rest of the boys who attended the party and the Lawbournes. 

"there were all these boys there just sitting drinking downstairs or swimming. why didn't they do anything to stop it? it just kills me that boys here would do that, boys I've had in my house."

Dex's mom's response to hearing what had happened to Willa shows that she is perhaps one of the only characters in the novel who pities Willa and does consider her the victim. This shows that Dex's mom has a certain kind of respect and compassion for women and girls that is certainly not found often in Friendswood.

Question #2:Dex begins to befriend Willa.  Is his friendship genuine?  Why does he befriend Willa?  Does he blame himself for what happens to her?

Dex's sudden interest in befriending Willa, aside from the fact that he has had a crush on her, a few days after her being raped makes it seem as though Dex is basing this new friendship off of the guilt he is living with for not doing anything to stop Cully's actions against Willa. Dex's new friendship with Willa, while certainly not in-genuine, is most likely only beginning as a result of the embarrassment and shame being outwardly brought onto Willa and Dex's inner conflict with his conscience. Dex is not a bad person, and knows that his mother wholeheartedly trusts Dex enough so that she doesn't even question whether or not Dex was at the party where Willa was raped.

"Dex turned back to the screen, where pixilated monsters ran amok, blinking behind and above Egyptian pyramids. He turned it off. He thought his mother might ask him about where he'd been that day, but she trusted him too much, and that was a wrench in his heart."

Dex knows that his mother would be utterly devastated if she found out that Dex in fact was at the party and refused to do anything to stop the incident, making him just as guilty as those boys that his mother fully detests. Therefore, Dex is most likely basing his friendship with Willa on his inner guilt and the fear of what his mother would think of him if she knew the truth.

Question #3:How does Hal use blame to protect Cully and himself?  What is Hal trying to protect himself from?

Hal, for as long as he can remember, has seen his beloved son Cully as the star football player/prodigy that Hal himself once was. In other words, Cully is Hal's "pride and joy". That being said, the fact that Hal sees Cully as an almost God-like figure who is so close to the way Hal was when he was Cully's age is concerning as well. For example; Hal himself was a star football player, therefore most likely just as popular as his son is now. However, Hal was also an avid alcoholic unable to gain control of his bad habits before they sent him and his life in a downward spiral. When Hal hears Cully confess that he indeed did rape Willa (yet during the confession the term "rape" was used very lightly) he is most likely cringing on the inside. However, since Cully is Hal's pride and joy Hal will do and does do everything in his power to protect Cully's "stellar" reputation and protect himself too from losing his perfect son.

"he knew that stupid incident at the Lawbournes' had only happened because Cully was drunk, because his pals were there, because it took disciplined practice to learn to restrain a lust. Thank God Principal Johnson didn't know the whole story--it would have been the end of the season."

Hal referring to Willa's rape as a "stupid incident" in itself is alarming. However, similar to the Stanford rape case, Hal and the father of Brock both blame their son's actions as a result of being drunk and being tempted by their friends. Hal's lack of respect for women in general and his sole idolization of his son subconsciously force him to blame anything and everything other than Cully in order to protect both Cully's image and the image of what Cully is to Hal.

The Issue of the Institutions

Question #1 & 2: Lee taking on both the EPA and City Hall.  Discuss the perception of City Hall officials to Lee.  How do they treat her?  What quotes support this?  Are they fulfilling their responsibility to protect? Discuss the response of the EPA to Lee. What is their response to her? What quotes support this? Are they fulfilling their responsibility to protect?

 From the very first line from the scene where Lee takes on City Hall, it is made clear to the reader that Lee has been to City Hall to discuss her opinions on the toxicity of the soil multiple times, and has never been taken seriously or been truly heard. While she remains determined to her cause she is fully aware of the attitudes that people have towards her and what they thing of her as shown through her observation of the man sitting next to her solely staring at her shirt rather than looking at her or listening to her information.

"At City Hall, Lee always tried to sit near the front, so that she'd be noticed...It was rare that she managed to get her concerns in the agenda anymore, but during the time set aside for other business at the end, she could usually say a few things about her research before adjournment, and maybe two or three out of thirty people would listen." (pg. 87)

The City Hall officials treat Lee almost as if she were a small child attempting to be part of an adult conversation filled with words and ideas that are impossible for her to understand.  For example; they give her condescending grins, they mock her, and simply refuse to give her research a second glance as if it is utterly useless. Eventually, Mrs. Dawson, one of the City Hall officials "generously" agrees to "happily look over Lee's results,"  however, upon her telling this to Lee it is noted that she "looked back at Burns, and he nodded and winked" (pg. 90) therefore showing her character to almost be having a "tongue-in-cheek" moment towards Lee and making it seem as though they were agreeing to Lee's demands only as a ploy to make her stop pushing and fighting them. Not only do they mock Lee and undermine her when she talks, but they respond to her in a very aggressive and biting manner.

Based on the information provided regarding Lee's encounters with City Hall, they are most definitely failing at their responsibility to protect the citizens of Friendswood. They refuse to consider any further evidence other then their own shoddy gatherings therefore not being able to truthfully claim that they are doing everything in their power to protect their people. In regards to the EPA, Lee states that they have never returned any of her calls and refuse to process or look at her toxic soil collection therefore failing to do their duties to protect as well. If the City Hall officials truly want to fix their land and make sure that another catastrophic event like this one does not occur again, they must remain more open minded during these town meetings and treat all citizens (whether or not they are disagreeing with them such as Lee is) with respect.