Perhaps we need to have an online "book club" discussion, where we all re-read or read for the first time and discuss here.
I did not "condemn" the book. I said I saw no compelling reason reason to read it. As for "understanding" people, the book is fiction, not a biography. There is no reason to accept Salinger's portrayal of his character as any more accurate or insightful than the characters in the "Porky's" films. No, not like every teenager ever. Not like me. Not like the ones I knew as a teenager. Not like the teenagers I know now. And that is my point. What am I doing here? Good question. Apparently I'm in a conversation with someone without a whit of good manners.
I second this. I wasn't like Holden, and most of my friends weren't either. One of my friends lost both his parents when he was a sophomore in college, and he certainly didn't do the things Holden did. We have to keep in mind that Holden is the result of Salinger's experiences/imagination, so it's only fair to assume that not everyone is going to relate to him/the book.
When I was in school, about 17 or 18, I remember reading this book and really liking it. A girl in my glass hated it. She said something like, "All he does is whine", and I thought that was a good contrast in reactions
I must admit, I don't think I could fully trust a person who has a strong opinion on a book they have not actually read.
I've read the book. I was just saying that I sort of understand where Bryan Romer is coming from. More than once I've made the decision not to read a book because I didn't find the synopsis interesting enough. Besides, I'm sure Bryan has read books that deal with worldviews other than his own. It's hard to find books that reinforce every single thing you believe.
Did I ever tell you that my English professor said that the most interesting conversations he has had about Ulysses were with people who've never read the book?
Interesting. Here in the UK, Catcher in the Rye isn't available on Kindle. I just went to download it ...and it's not there! A couple of books DISCUSSING it are on Kindle, but not the book itself. As it's considered by many to be a modern classic, and is actually assigned reading in many schools, I find that sorta strange...
Totally agree with this. I hate the way some people think literature should conform to some arbitrary definition or narrative style they have in their head. I like something that challenges my beliefs, or shows me some new insight in a way that I never looked at before
