Erotic Literature by Anglo-German Charlotte Roche: Wetlands -The Film

[NinaBrooke]

The title, which might be translated as "wetlands" or "damp areas," here refers to a woman's genitals.
Wetlands is Charlotte Roche's debut novel. Partly autobiographical,[1] it was first published in German in 2008 by DuMont and was the world's best-selling novel in March 2008.[2] For supporters it is a piece of erotic literature; for critics it is cleverly marketed pornography. The title, which might be translated as "wetlands" or "damp areas," here refers to a woman's genitals. It was published in English as Wetlands by Grove Press in April 2009.


The major part of Wetlands is made up of Helen's thoughts, reminiscences and sexual fantasies while confined to her hospital bed. A sexually active woman since she was fifteen, she has had sex with lots of men and boys and describes herself as continuously randy. Shortly after her 18th birthday she had herself sterilised without telling her parents about it.

Helen has an unusual relationship to her body. She abhors personal hygiene and enjoys many of the bodily fluids which are secreted or excreted from it, be it mucus, pus, earwax, smegma, blood (including menstrual blood), sweat, or tears, but also men's sperm, all of which she "recycles" by putting them into her mouth and swallowing them. She loves to attract potential sexual partners by parading, underneath her dress, her unwashed vulva and the smells emanating from it.


In a series of interviews Roche explained that cleanliness and above all pedantic care for their own bodies, including the use of artificial scents such as perfume, have been inculcated upon women for ages; that this obstructs their—not just sexual—self-realisation; and that the fear of harmful "bacteria" has been vastly exaggerated.

Generally, Wetlands touches upon a number of taboo topics not only in the sexual arena but also those that can be found in the society at large, particularly in dysfunctional families. These include self-mutilation, amnesia triggered by recreational drug abuse, people's inability to deal with failed suicide attempts, and incest. (wikipedia)


Review from Locarno Film Festival:

http://variety.com/2013/film/reviews...al-1200580138/

I am not sure if some of you have heard about that Novel at all, but I think it does leave quite some interesting topics of discussion

[John Bull]

How revolting! But different smells and tastes for different folks, I guess.

[NinaBrooke]

So true! I never liked Charlotte Roche`s books (she has written some of them) but I wonder why she is one of the world best sellers in erotic literature? But I have not understood the Hype about Shades of Grey either.... What interests me is the discussion on why the hype and why now and what makes such things trendy and bestsellers (and their authors rich)

I think part of it is the breaking of taboo - in Roche`s case the taboo in hygiene and such. She contests the ideal of smelling clean and fresh and chalks it up as degenerating from nature. It is interesting to discuss. I personally am all for hygiene, safe sex and smelling good, but I assume there must be people who aren`t, otherwise why would there be so many even reading this .


How does this play into a discussion on escort boards? In my mind and in the general viewing of escorts, we are seen as "dirty" people because we are sexual with more than one person at a time. Yet, statistically speaking the spread of STDs and HIV is rare amongst sex workers and happening more in the "ordinary" world, where people - here I might be judgemental - care less about getting tested, using condoms and overall hygiene.

Yet, a person that is not hygienic but not an escort is not viewed as something "oh my god I could catch something from her" in our society. So here is where I think the movie does point indeed into an interestin direction. For a purely philosophical and intellectual approach, of course. I still have my regular twice daily showers ) (lol).

But speaking of taboos.