David Schaeffer’s New Novel
I featured author David Schaeffer’s Letters from Sweden a few years ago. His new book Initiation at the Scum Pond is a story based on an actual event. This book is different from the other books Schaeffer has written in that it is a novel. Although I am not a literary critic by any means, I will have to say that this book demands one’s attention from the first chapter. It is of special interest if: You have ever been in a fraternity or sorority OR if you have a son or grandson who has ever been in a fraternity OR (and even worse) if you currently know a boy who is going to college and plans to pledge a fraternity. Parts of the story are difficult to read because the violence is graphic. Yes, violence!!
I have always heard about hazing incidents but thought they usually involved just making the pledges clean the bathrooms at the frat house or do stupid things around campus. I have also read articles about boys that were injured or even died as a result of hazing, again thinking these incidents were anomalies. Not so!! After reading the book, I went on line and found several recent cases of hazing gone wrong, even after fraternities had been put on probation or banned at a specific school. And, apparently, if you were to ask a young fraternity man about hazing at his frat, he would not tell you the truth. There is a strict code of honor not to rat out your brothers. All this does not even address the culture of drinking that seems to still be rampant in universities. I know, I sound like an old grandma!!
Aside from the obvious story line, which I will not give away, the book is heavy on the legal side. The author had to be specific about the legal battle because it is very intricate and important to the plot. The book has themes beyond the actual story. Questions such as: Where does personal responsibilty end and institutional blame begin? When is an accident preventable or simply unavoidable and inforseen? Who is to blame when an accident takes a catastrophic turn? Well, maybe you will read the book to form your own opinion!