Essay: the Murderer by Julian Symons

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The Murderer By Camilla Kjær Stolt 1.z. Sex can be seen as the root of all evil, or else as something to sacred to allow casually. A negative understanding of sexuality undermines values and challenges moral treatment of other persons. In the Murderer written by Julian Symons, the main character, Howard does not think of sex, he lives his life the “right” way, with values and principles. Howard Carey is an ordinary man. On his way home through suburban London, he meets a young prostitute and she offers herself to him. “Then she repeated the suggestions in word that were unmistakable. He recoiled slightly, shook his head and walked on, but she moved on with him using obscenities, murmuring things that appalled him.” – Page 123, line 6-9. Howard is a very realistic man. He is fastidious, and his wife Ellen even called him downright prudish in sexual matters (says on page 123, line 2) he is therefore easily offended. After his meeting with the prostitute in the white mackintosh, he is in a state of shock which makes him reflect over how any woman could bring herself to say such things as the girl had suggested to him. “He had read in the local paper about prostitution and mugging, and about drivers who crawled along beside the kerb trying to pick up women, but had never truly believed in such things.” - Page 123, line 22-25. Howard is a man who likes to think that none of those wrong and dark thoughts and actions even exists. After having experienced a prostitute himself, he is closer to letting his supressed desires and feelings out. “The Dempseys next door at Happy Landings had a glass door which showed mermaid rising from the waves. Howard and Ellen had discussed it at length. Ellen liked the design, but Howard thought that it was vulgar.” - Page 124, line 5-8. Again we are shown how prudish Howard is, and how much he is appalled by
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