<i>Le Consentement</i> (<i>Consent</i>: <i>A Memoir</i>) by Vanessa Springora (2020), and <i>Something Disguised as Love</i> (Hebrew: <i>Davar She’Mitchapes Le’Ahava</i>) by Galia Oz¹ (2021): Similarities and Differences

Abstract

The two books: Le Consentement ( Consent : A Memoir ) by Vanessa Springora (2020), and Something Disguised as Love by Galia Oz (2021) were published by two women—French and Israeli about their child abuse by very famous writers: Gabriel Matzneff, who was more than 30 years older than Springora when the described events happened, and Amos Oz, one of the most famous and influential Israelis known and respected all over the world—the father of Galia Oz. Matzneff’s abuse was sexual; Oz’s—physical and emotional. The first part of this work is about the words used for the description of Matzneff’s and Oz’s deeds, as words not only reflect reality, they also create it. Its second part will show the main similarities and differences between these two books: reception as writers and reception of the books; their subject; the books’ genre; the professional status of the writers; the literary status of the abusers; the writers’ age their books tell about; others’ knowing or believing; the families reaction; the time between the abuse happened and the publishing of the books; the shock when the truth came out; father versus father-figure; abusing “just” one girl versus abusing many girls and boys; using the full name versus abbreviations of the abuser; the use of ideology for explaining the deeds; being considered intellectuals; being good looking; being a moralistic preacher versus being a Nihilist.