My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf; graphic novel, true crime; 224 pagesI'm continuing my true crime graphic novel spree with this fascinating take on Jeffrey Dahmer, told by one of his high school friends. Imagine getting a call one day, only to be told that that socially awkward guy you knew in high school was a serial killer?? That's was happens to Backderf, and what prompted him to write this graphic novel. Assembled from interview transcripts and personal stories, this book follows Dahmer from seventh grade through high school graduation. It shows a troubled and confused teen with a terrible home life, and, more shockingly, a culture of teachers and adults who didn't seem to notice or care: for instance, Dahmer becomes an alcoholic his junior year of school; all of the students know it, but the teachers seem unfazed. It's just one of the many points in this story where I felt like someone should have stepped in and done something. Backderf seems to feel that same way, though he often stressed that his sympathy for Dahmer ends with his first murder. This project never condones Dahmer's crimes, but it does raise the question of whether it all might have been prevented his someone--a classmate, teacher, or parent--had stepped in to help Dahmer deal with his issues.
No comments:
Post a Comment