Beham, Leslie

The Midway at Midnight. 1964. (T - LIL)

SUMMARY: Carrie grows up in a carnival. Her parents were killed on the tightrope, and one of the carnies, The Professor takes her in. When she begins to mature she goes to live with an older woman, and has the traumatic experience that turns her into a lesbian: she sees the woman having explicit sex with the snake charmer, and, while they are having sex, one of the snakes gets loose and sits on Carrie's breast. Fear of being killed by a snake and fear of a man's penis are fused together forever, as per usual. Naturally, she becomes a lesbian. She has an explicit affair with the flame diver (who, like her parents, gets killed), has some anonymous sex, some S/M sex and then finally has sex with a man but can only have an orgasm if the sex is anal. Ultimately, the Professor's son (who is also a professor) comes to claim the Professor's body (he has died). He stays on with the carnival and helps Carrie separate the deadly snake from a man's penis. There is a sub plot having to do with civil rights – which is VERY unusual for this genre.

OPINION: the writing is formulaic in many ways, but not too bad. There are some very surprising moments of social awareness that are articulated through the Professor character.

CONTENTS: m-f sex, f-f- sex, m-f gang rape, inter-racial sex.

QUOTES:

    "Do you know where you'll find more homosexuality going on than any place else? In prisons … also, the peacetime Army, Navy and Merchant Marine. It used to be thought that constantly being away from women and thrown into contact with men was the reason. But today the psychologist believe that these fellows are drawn to all male environments for the very reason that they are seeking homosexual gratification. And the 'male' partners … don't think of themselves as 'fairies,' but as doubly man for doing it to another man."—The Professor.

    "It's not fair! That a species of human filth such as myself should be served without question simply because the skin under the filth happens to be white, while a neat clean man of God is turned away because his skin is black – that's not fair! It's more than just a matter of law. Such unfairness … is everybody's business. Human dignity belongs to all. Despise one man of his share, and you deprive all men. Little enough have I done of a worthwhile nature in this world. Perhaps my participation in the protest will give some justification to my existence."—The Professor.

c2007 melodie morgan frances