“It happened to all of us”: Disclosing Sexual Abuse in Catholic Ireland in Roddy Doyle’s Smile
In Smile (2017), Roddy Doyle represents a society that is still heavily influenced by the moral authority of the Catholic Church and that, therefore, avoids any open discussion about sexuality in any of its manifestations. In the midst of this climate, Victor Forde, the working-class protagonist of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Asociación Española de Estudios Irlandeses
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Estudios Irlandeses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DEF-Lluïsa-Schlesier.pdf |
| _version_ | 1829533453922598912 |
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| author | Lluïsa Schlesier Corrales |
| author_facet | Lluïsa Schlesier Corrales |
| author_sort | Lluïsa Schlesier Corrales |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In Smile (2017), Roddy Doyle represents a society that is still heavily influenced by the moral authority of the Catholic Church and that, therefore, avoids any open discussion about sexuality in any of its manifestations. In the midst of this climate, Victor Forde, the working-class protagonist of the novel, tries to disclose the sexual abuse he suffered as a child in a Christian Brotherhood School. In my article, I argue that the silences and taboos that permeate the society as represented in the novel, and the protagonist’s awareness that his social position made him the perfect target for abuse, condition Victor’s only opportunity for disclosure; this – and the absolute failure of his attempts at divulgence – ultimately frustrates his chances of healing from trauma and of leading an ordinary life. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T18:57:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-032345ca2ceb409199ea32a688fbce96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1699-311X 1699-311X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T18:57:18Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Asociación Española de Estudios Irlandeses |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Estudios Irlandeses |
| spelling | doaj.art-032345ca2ceb409199ea32a688fbce962022-12-21T22:20:30ZengAsociación Española de Estudios IrlandesesEstudios Irlandeses1699-311X1699-311X2021-03-01161616518210076“It happened to all of us”: Disclosing Sexual Abuse in Catholic Ireland in Roddy Doyle’s SmileLluïsa Schlesier Corrales0 Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, Spain In Smile (2017), Roddy Doyle represents a society that is still heavily influenced by the moral authority of the Catholic Church and that, therefore, avoids any open discussion about sexuality in any of its manifestations. In the midst of this climate, Victor Forde, the working-class protagonist of the novel, tries to disclose the sexual abuse he suffered as a child in a Christian Brotherhood School. In my article, I argue that the silences and taboos that permeate the society as represented in the novel, and the protagonist’s awareness that his social position made him the perfect target for abuse, condition Victor’s only opportunity for disclosure; this – and the absolute failure of his attempts at divulgence – ultimately frustrates his chances of healing from trauma and of leading an ordinary life.https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DEF-Lluïsa-Schlesier.pdfsexual abusecatholic churchworking classsilencedisclosureroddy doyletrauma. |
| spellingShingle | Lluïsa Schlesier Corrales “It happened to all of us”: Disclosing Sexual Abuse in Catholic Ireland in Roddy Doyle’s Smile Estudios Irlandeses sexual abuse catholic church working class silence disclosure roddy doyle trauma. |
| title | “It happened to all of us”: Disclosing Sexual Abuse in Catholic Ireland in Roddy Doyle’s Smile |
| title_full | “It happened to all of us”: Disclosing Sexual Abuse in Catholic Ireland in Roddy Doyle’s Smile |
| title_fullStr | “It happened to all of us”: Disclosing Sexual Abuse in Catholic Ireland in Roddy Doyle’s Smile |
| title_full_unstemmed | “It happened to all of us”: Disclosing Sexual Abuse in Catholic Ireland in Roddy Doyle’s Smile |
| title_short | “It happened to all of us”: Disclosing Sexual Abuse in Catholic Ireland in Roddy Doyle’s Smile |
| title_sort | it happened to all of us disclosing sexual abuse in catholic ireland in roddy doyle s smile |
| topic | sexual abuse catholic church working class silence disclosure roddy doyle trauma. |
| url | https://www.estudiosirlandeses.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DEF-Lluïsa-Schlesier.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lluisaschlesiercorrales ithappenedtoallofusdisclosingsexualabuseincatholicirelandinroddydoylessmile |