What is rape? The definition of this word is shrouded in ambiguity, there is no single meaning for it. The most widely accepted definition is forced sexual intercourse, including vaginal, anal, or oral penetration. Penetration may be by body or foreign object. It may also be said that anytime during intercourse a female says no, and the male continues anyway that is also rape. The definition may even be stretched to consider a weak "yes " as rape. Hypothetically speaking, if a female says no to sexual intercourse, then five hours later after a few shots of tequila seduces the same gentlemen into having sex with her, the following day she accuses this individual of rape claiming he should have respected her earlier statement, is she right? Where do we draw the line? If you were drunk behind the wheel of a car and killed innocent civilians you would be guilty of murder, why should it be different with whom you sleep with? Everyone should be responsible for what they do in their drunken state. In the novel "Open City " by Teju Cole the protagonist and narrator Julius is accused of rape by a childhood friend named Moji, he does not state whether the allegations levied against him are true or false, but why should he not be given the benefit of the doubt. Nothing written about Julius thus far would lead us to believe that he is capable of doing such. I believe the author is using this situation to express the fact that false rape allegations are a serious problem threatening the sanctity of the justice system. .
Open City by Teju Cole is a novel about many different aspects of human life, it tells the story of a young half Nigerian half German psychiatrist named Julius. A large portion of the book takes place in New York City, which is Julius's adopted home. As the story unfolds, Julius takes up walking as a way to escape from the pressures of his job. The narration of the story does not include any dialogue among the characters, but is told from a first person point of view.