Baby Got Books

The Abstinence Teacher

After listening to The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta (my review) I was interested in checking out some of his other work. I chose the audio version of The Abstinence Teacher, frankly because it was immediately available at the library.

Ruth, a divorced mother of two girls, is a Sex Education teacher at the local high school. She is serious about her subject and wants her students to be armed with all of the facts. Seemingly overnight, complaints about the curriculum are grabbing the attention of the school and local school board. Coincidentally, the congregation of The Tabernacle, the local Evangelical Church, is becoming a louder presence in the community and suddenly Ruth is instructed that “abstinence only” will be taught, no questions asked. The order doesn’t end Ruth’s continued conflict with the school officials and the new beauty-queenesque “Abstinence Consultant.”

Added to Ruth’s career angst, her personal life is boring. A re-connect with her pudgy teenage-sexual-partner-turned-hard-body is a complete bust. Then one day, Jesus-loving Tim enters her life and she is shocked and embarrassed at the feelings he stirs within her. To add insult to injury, not being a fan of the Tabernacle doctrine, her daughters come home and tell her they want to go to church to “get to know” Jesus.

Tim, divorced father of one daughter and former drug addict/alcoholic/rocker, is a new member of the Tabernacle. He is trying very hard to live a successful Christian life with his new Christian wife, but constantly struggles with his former self. He can’t stop thinking of bedding his former wife as she greets him at the door in lingerie. And the thrill of having played the guitar in a rock band must be currently fulfilled by jamming during church services. Tim enters Ruth’s life when, as soccer coach to Ruth’s daughter, his faith overcomes him after a game and he prays with the team. When Ruth hears about this, she and he have a heart to heart meeting which temporarily halts Ruth’s continued actions against him.

Contrary to what the title may suggest, The Abstinence Teacher isn’t only about Ruth. Every character in Mr. Perrotta’s book abstains from something –whether by choice or not. Ruth’s students are denied the facts, Ruth’s gay friends are denied the right to get married, her previous pudgy teenage sex partner must be denied the food that he used to enjoy, Tim’s ‘Christian’ wife denies herself in order to please her husband, and the list continues. By bringing all of these characters together, Mr. Perrotta creates a story about this suburban town and what happens when the Christian Right invades and imposes their beliefs on everyone. If I think about this subject too much, I become aggravated as The Abstinence Teacher poses more questions than answers about what should/could be done in this situation which seems to be currently happening all over America. Thus, I choose to enjoy the story simply as entertainment. Becoming upset is not the goal of listening to audio books during a long commute.

I have concluded that I have enjoyed all of Mr. Perrotta’s books thus far (Little Children, The Leftovers, The Abstinence Teacher) because I can put myself into any one of his stories. Some readers don’t want stories so true to life – too depressing. However, I find Mr. Perrotta’s sarcasm and humor extremely entertaining as I sit in traffic. The Abstinence Teacher allows you to go deeper if you want to, but you can also enjoy it as is.