Tuesday, April 13, 2010

If you're a Salinger fan

The Catcher in the Rye.

Arguably one of the greatest works of fiction in existence.
High school and junior college teachers alike reap praise on Salinger's book like Holden Caulfield (the book's main character, for those who haven't read it) is Hanna Montana and they're thirteen year old girls. I have read this book a total of six times. Once, when I was 12, because my aunt gave me a copy and told me "It will change your life", then four times throughout school, then another time on my own just to see if my feelings on it had changed.

They hadn't. I still didn't like it very much.

It sure didn't change my life, at least. I mean, sure, it was entertaining, but I didn't find it to be the grand masterpiece it's louted to be, and I sure didn't find Holden Caulfield to be the perfectest anti-establishment, never conform, sort of hero guy that they say he is.

But I'm not sure Salinger even wanted him to be. I've tried to study Salinger, as I think the writer much more interesting than the character (and how often can we say that? I'm sure as hell not anywhere near as interesting as my characters), only to find that there isn't much to study. From what I have found, however, I think he may have added more depth to Holden Caulfield than any of the pseudo-intellectual ivy league rebels suspect. Maybe Holden Caulfield's just a confused teenager and that's it. Seems pretty profound, but what do I know? I write zombie love stories.

Anyhow, as a Salinger fan, I loved this article. Hated Catcher in the Rye. What are you gonna do?


(Thanks so much to the link-master, Moon Rat, for the link.)

6 comments:

  1. PS- The article is about a small-time publisher who came close to publishing a novella-length work by Salinger, then completely blew it by giving in to the kind of stuff Salinger hates. It's really moving. Or at least, it was to me. And I'm not a guy who gets moved often, I do have emotions. I promise.

    (And I've read the work that was almost published. It's pretty good. Better than Catcher, at least.)

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  2. Never read Catcher in the Rye. It's on my "someday" list... just above Twilight. Hehe.

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  3. I love "Catcher in the Rye" but I understand it's not for everyone.

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  4. Never read it...doubt if I ever will...

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  5. I tried to get interested in reading classics by alternating classics with books I wanted to read. But after reading about three classics, I realized most of them were horrible and would never get published today.

    Norm

    fangplace

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  6. Where's your next entry, Richie?

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