black and blue book review
Black and Blue: by Anna Quindlen The task assigned is a review of the book Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen. I will provide examples and summarize the main concepts of the book to include Intimate Partner Violence, Battering, and Intimate Terrorism. I will reference the text Family Violence, Across the Lifespan by Ola W. Barnett, Cindy Miller-Perrin, and Robin D. Perrin in order to support my theoretical claims. I will select a critical part of the book and explain why it was challenging to read and understand based on my perspective, and then select a character to analyze using one of the theoretical perspective. This book is sad and disturbing, the punishment inflicted on Fran by her husband Bobby Benedetto is unacceptable and criminal, but unfortunately, is probably a more common occurrence than we care to acknowledge. The overall concept that is most prevalent throughout the book is Intimate Partner Violence, IPV, as defined, violence between spouses, ex-spouses, or separated spouses; between cohabitors or ex-cohabitors; between boyfriends or ex-boyfriends and girlfriends or ex-girlfriends; and between same-sex partners or ex-partners
(Barnett, Miller-Perrin, and Perrin 15). The key to understanding IPV is the focus on violence by the abuser, in this case, Bobby Benedetto. There is 18 years of violence and abuse in the book, Traumatic Bonding has likely occurred, explained as a cyclical pattern of loving behaviors coupled with sporadic violence may increase the abused partner’s dependence on the abuser over time (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, and Perrin 287). So many times the violent act is carried-out by Bobby with the intention of hurting or intimidating Fran, as was the case with the first occasion of violence when Bobby squeezed Fran to the point where his fingertips made a “tattoo” impression-like mark on her upper arm in order for him to exercise his control over her because she had danced with the brother of a friend. Another concept that
(Barnett, Miller-Perrin, and Perrin 15). The key to understanding IPV is the focus on violence by the abuser, in this case, Bobby Benedetto. There is 18 years of violence and abuse in the book, Traumatic Bonding has likely occurred, explained as a cyclical pattern of loving behaviors coupled with sporadic violence may increase the abused partner’s dependence on the abuser over time (Barnett, Miller-Perrin, and Perrin 287). So many times the violent act is carried-out by Bobby with the intention of hurting or intimidating Fran, as was the case with the first occasion of violence when Bobby squeezed Fran to the point where his fingertips made a “tattoo” impression-like mark on her upper arm in order for him to exercise his control over her because she had danced with the brother of a friend. Another concept that
Cited: Quindlen, Anna. Black and Blue. New York: Dell Publishing, 1998. Print Barnett, Ola, Cindy L. Miller-Perrin, Robin D. Perrin. Family Violence, Across the Lifespan. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing, 2005. Print