The Child Buyer by John Hersey *****

SPOILERS. In The Child Buyer by John Hersey (Hiroshima, A Bell for Adano), Wissey Jones wanted to buy Barry Rudd (a maladjusted genius). Jones planned to brainwash Barry until he was a blank brain (no memories, feeling, or senses) and train that brain to solve difficult problems (IQ over 1,000). I read this when it was first published (1960s) and I still remember the final question - after everyone has agreed for Barry to be sold.

Is Barry so brilliant that he can resist the brainwashing (something that was much on my teenage mind)? When asked if he would resist, Barry answers, “Oh, no. Once I go, I’ll go the whole way. It would be wonderful, but of course, this is impossible [to experience the] process twice, one co-operatively, once fighting it.” This was the ultimate question for me, whether to fight society or join it. Like Barry Rudd, I joined.

A classic from 1960. Surprisingly timely.

The novel is presented in the form of hearing transcripts.” In the process, the author satirizes politicians and school administrators, while supporting unions, teachers, sex education, and diversity. This is a book in support of children and against privilege.

Teaching

A state senator asks, “Do you mean to suggest, miss, that a teacher ought to be supplied, gratis, with all the amenities—hot soup, medical insurance, fringe benefits of all kinds?” He continues, “Do you mean to suggest that teaching is not a service career, a calling – I mean, that people go into teaching for the material ends in life?”

Immorality

President of the PTA, President of the Republican Women’s Club, President of… says, “…the delinquency problem…I think it must’ve been our young men going overseas, the last couple of wars, mixing with foreign riff-raff, geisha girls, existentialists. Our Customs people ought to charge a duty on immorality. It’s all imported. You know that.”

Mass Education

We’ve got standards. [Barry Rudd] missed out on his fundamentals… He’s got to learn to catch a ball. Be a boy… That boy is one-sided… There are other things in life besides biological research… The boy has to learn to be a citizen and conform.”

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