An excellent analysis of an excellent book. Some people (superficial people, to my mind) simply don't want to grapple with dark subject matter, or subjects that - as you point out - they wish to be in denial over. They get offended, and cannot understand the difference between depicting something and endorsing something.

Those people I've met I find to be kindred spirits are those who embrace dark subject matter, don't avoid it, and understand the catharsis of storytelling and art, as a means of understanding ourselves and humanity in general with greater self-awareness. This is why I struggle to relate to glib individuals who think all stories should have happy endings, should avoid certain subjects, etc. I once had a conversation with someone who honestly thought The Godfather Part II should have ended happily! Talk about miss the point.

By the way, in my experience, those who experience traumatic events in life do not avoid dark subject matter in fiction. For example, most Holocaust survivors I've encountered don't avoid dark novels, films, etc. It tends to be the more mollycoddled, wealthy, privileged types who don't want to look at darker material. Just a side note.

Sorry for the ramble. Great article. :)