J
Juan1234
Guest
Well said, Phlebas. For me personally, I find all of these ideas arousing, BUT I don't like it when they become the focus in a gross way. When a story brings them up, I want to hear "humiliation," which is arousing, not "disgusting," which to me is a turn off. That's a tough balance. That's part of what made me nervous about including menstruation in "The Guilty." I didn't want the focus to be "ewww, that's disgusting!" I wanted the focus to be utter, utter shame and humiliation. Still not sure if I succeeded.Maybe not so much lately. There have been stories which included more earthy bodily functions, crux is after all an experience of blood, sweat and tears, and a lot more! A lot of people don't like the more earthy stuff.
It's an important part of the experience in it's most brutal and fundamental expression. The subject is not only stripped of their clothes, body laid bare, they are stripped of their dignity. Their most private and personal attributes are exposed to public gaze and ridicule. So their physical struggle with the cross, their genitals, every ragged breath they take. Every drop of sweat and blood. Total lack of privacy. Every sip of water is a privilege, every piss and shit held onto for as long as possible, then shamefully released from them in front of a crowd. Every groan, cry, strangled moan of despair or pain. Menstrual blood, the smells of the body, all exposed. The size of their breasts, or genitals (male and female) an opportunity for jokes and remarks. Even those signs of arousal, however voluntary or involuntary. A woman's wetness, openness. A man's stiffening. Nothing can be hidden on the cross.
There is a place for all this, and more.