Oh, how I wish I can find the right setting for the idea that’s been floating around in my mind for the past few days. It’s clearly part of a residential institution – school, reformatory? – with a dozen to twenty girls. They’ve become notorious for their bad behaviour: a new man’s been appointed to ‘get a grip’.
He’d follow the usual form – reading the proverbial riot act; making it plain that poor conduct would not be tolerated; implementing strict new rules. But rather than waiting to dole out exemplary punishments to the first girls to cross the line, he’d adopt a different approach: announcing that each and every girl was to be severely flogged.
Perhaps he’d consult a girl’s files as she stood before him: “I see that you’ve been one of the most troublesome girls”, before determining her exact sentence. Perhaps he’d simply give them each the same punishment – say, twenty strokes of the senior cane. (And pity the poor lass in the crowd who’d always tried to be good!). Whatever, his aim would be to establish his authority, scare and intimidate them, and break their collective mischievous spirit.
But I just can’t work out the right environment. A house at school feels too large; girls in a class together wouldn’t be living together as they’d be in separate houses. A wing of a reformatory? But then the girls would be too bad to start with. Any ideas?
Some other training facility maybe? Professional training? Sports?
How about a brothel? A specific floor on which are, well were till this point, the privileged girls. The good girls who earned their privileges. They became part of the brothel by their own wish or rather trafficked. But now my mind wanders again.
I like Svetlana’s idea also. A basketball team? 😀 Set in some former Communist country?
Many years ago small firms or shops accommodated their young staff in dormitories over the shop floor. An ancestor of mine , as a teenage shop girl, lived above a haberdashery in Liverpool. Between twelve to fifteen girls lived together under the supervision of a senior member of staff. Up at six and bed by nine. Sunday afternoon off if they were lucky. But a historical setting I’m afraid… early 1900’s.
Good luck with the idea
PeterD
What about a privately owned reformatory/work farm for girls who are debtors. Sanctioned by the courts, they would be held there to work off what they owe the bank or company. It would be especially relevant in these economically difficult times. A month of menial labor for every 10 dollars they can’t pay. Through interpretation of the law, they would be considered “wards of the company” just like some children are “wards of the state”.
Basketball? That would mean a cast of reasonably tall girls.
Seriously, collective punishment, communism and team sports sounds like an interesting fictional mix. Peter’s idea could work out as well, since Abel uses historical or “timeless” settings now and then. Speaking of dormitories, that’s a setting that could also work in a less comfy boarding school where pupils sleep in large dormitories rather than individual rooms.
Regardless of the setting, the psychology of collective punishment is fascinating. Its inherent potential unfairness to individuals, the meaninglessness of individual guilt in the context of group responsibility, the potential for creating tension in the group or bringing it closer together, the emotinal reactions to such an experience … plenty of stuff to write a good story about.
Oh goodness, this is the hottest collection of comments on a post that I can remember. I think Peter’s concept wins for me, probably because (being from Liverpool originally), the setting in my home city rather appeals.
Svetlana – love the analysis in the second paragraph of your comment!