Saving Noah

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses pedophilia, rape, child sexual abuse and violence, possible incest, suicide ideation, and death by suicide.

Saving Noah discusses the gap in the functioning of the justice system regarding juvenile sex offenders, or adolescents who abuse younger children and are unsuccessfully reintegrated into society. The text also examines society’s decision to not separate juvenile perpetrators from adult criminals and the potential lack of potential for reform this creates. The novel argues that placing juveniles on the sex offender registry—which means the charges against them are public knowledge—may actually inhibit them from integrating back into society. This argument references contemporary conversations about the efficacy of the registry for juvenile offenders. Maria Blackburn notes that “registering kids makes them targets for violence and increases their risk for mental health and other problems—without reducing reoffending” (Blackburn, Maria. “The Harms of Placing Kids on Sex Offender Registries.” Hopkins Bloomsberg Public Health, 24 Feb. 2024). In the novel, Noah’s label as a sex offender outlasts his 18-month sentence. While this might appear justified, Noah is beaten up viciously in an act that includes sexual violence. Adrianne observes that the point of the justice system should be to rehabilitate juvenile offenders who may be able to recover with adequate support; however, in practice, the system is more about punishment.

The novel suggests that all sexual crimes should not be blanketed under the same umbrella. Someone like Noah, for instance, is portrayed as different from a violent rapist; he confesses his crimes to his mother without prompting. However, even younger offenders like Noah are considered irredeemable and fair game for bullying and abuse. The novel also explores the ostracization of the families of sex offenders. Since society often believes that criminal behavior is related to poor parenting, it holds the parents responsible. As the novel shows, these attitudes help neither the offender nor the family reintegrate into society and can have devastating consequences.

The nuanced, sympathetic portrayal of Noah has generated controversy in online forums. Some readers feel that the attempt to humanize Noah comes at the expense of downplaying his offense. While it is important to understand that juvenile sex offenders like Noah are not necessarily “evil,” it is also true that framing sexual offenses against children as a compulsion can create a potentially harmful narrative. To balance these two views, it is useful to consider the fact that Noah’s portrayal appears sympathetic because it is told from his mother Adrianne’s biased point of view. Noah himself never downplays the threat he represents to children, ultimately deciding that he poses too great a threat to remain alive.