Hex by Laurence M. Janifer

"Hex" by Laurence M. Janifer is a science fiction novella written in the late 1950s. The story revolves around the intersection of social work and mind manipulation, as the protagonist employs her unconventional abilities to help her clients. It delves into themes of control, societal expectations, and the ethics of intervention in people's lives. The narrative follows Gloria, a young and enthusiastic social worker who possesses a unique talent for influencing the thoughts and behaviors of her clients through her psychic abilities. She becomes invested in the cases of the struggling Mrs. Wladek and her son Rudi, to whom she unintentionally imposes her will, pushing them toward employment and societal integration. However, her well-meaning actions lead to unintended consequences, provoking suspicion and conflict with Mrs. Wladek, who believes Gloria has placed a hex on her. As the story unfolds, it explores the moral complexity of Gloria's interventions, ultimately raising questions about the implications of using power to "help" others and the nature of autonomy and consent. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Janifer, Laurence M., 1933-2002
Title Hex
Series Title Produced from Astounding Science Fiction May 1959.
Credits Produced by Greg Weeks, Bruce Albrecht, Mary Meehan and
the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
www.pgdp.net
Reading Level Reading ease score: 86.1 (6th grade). Easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Science fiction
Subject Social workers -- Fiction
Subject Psychic ability -- Fiction
Category Text
eBook-No. 24397
Release Date
Last Update Jan 3, 2021
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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