Although no violence is explicit except for the infamous 'spanking scene,' too many of Edith and Little Bear's behavioral and personality elements correspond with those of abused children, as do Mr Bear's with those of an abuser - obsessive control and watchfulness, thwarting of other social contacts, violent or irrational behavior coupled with assertions of love and protection, resistance to the 'children' growing up. Often the two bears seem to press themselves onto Edith from either side, touching her and pulling at her hair and clothing. They alternate between scenes of isolation and even desolation, and uneasy, claustrophobic closeness. The accompanying photos are even more revealing, intense and disturbing. The text story is creepy enough on its own - a little doll all alone is so desperate for friends that she lets in strangers who quickly take control of her home and life. As an adult I do not like the book, but find it fascinating as a psychological artifact and a creative product. I think it would have disturbed me then, too, since I grew up in a large city and was aware of dangers such as kidnapping and child molestation at a very young age.

I did not encounter this book as a child. Physically beaten and terrified of abandonment, she kowtows to patriarchal authority. When the formerly-independent Edith resists Mr Bear's domination, she is punished, never more severely than on the instance in which she attempts to shed her submissive, child-like trappings and dress as an adult, putting on lipstick and highheeled shoes. Possibly Mr Bear appropriated and 'adopted' Little Bear in the same manner as he quickly assumes the parental role over Edith, monitoring her behavior and controlling her activities.

Edith is on the verge of going mad from isolation when finally two strange bears appear. Perhaps there has been some apocalypse, some epidemic which wiped out all mammals.

She is desperately lonely, praying every night for friends and trying to talk with the small animals who seem to be the only living things left in this deserted world. Urn:oclc:83604189 Republisher_date 20120614034021 Republisher_operator Scandate 20120613143928 Scanner lives in a lovely house and has everything she needs - except company. OL6225353W Page-progression lr Pages 66 Ppi 386 Related-external-id urn:isbn:0395899265 Urn:lcp:lonelydoll00wrig:lcpdf:119a94f0-bc53-46f1-abb6-8000c1fa0e64 Extramarc University of Alberta Libraries Foldoutcount 0 Identifier lonelydoll00wrig Identifier-ark ark:/13960/t2b86dp5t Isbn 0385076797 Lccn 57008093 Ocr_converted abbyy-to-hocr 1.1.20 Ocr_module_version 0.0.17 Openlibrary OL6222723M Openlibrary_edition Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 22:11:46 Boxid IA147924 Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark II City Garden City, NY Donor

Dare wright and the lonely doll