A filter on Eva's Man

I thought it was interesting that one of the questions asked at the end of class on Thursday was whether or not Gayl Jones was intentionally trying to make the reader uncomfortable with her graphic language in Eva’s Man.  For me, the detail and word choice of the story was definitely very challenging to read in one sitting.  The graphic detail is overwhelming and part of me just did not want to recognize that, while this is fiction, the story is very real.  That being said, I don’t think that Jones had any obligation to filter the story so that is would be an easier or more accessible read.  The reason it is accessible as it stands now is because it tells the truth.  We discussed this topic earlier on in the semester, whether or not is the responsibility of the author or the reader to make decisions about accessibility.  I personally think that I would not have had such an intense reaction to the story if it had been filtered.  As difficult as it was to read, would the story have had as much of an impact if it hadn’t told to whole truth?