Switching from A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man to Catcher in the Rye has been quite refreshing. I find Holden Caulfield so much more interesting than Stephen Dedalus, and a large part of it has to do with his awareness of the world around him. He is constantly observing people and trying to interact with them where as Stephen was mostly an introvert. The language is also very different. Unlike most classics, the narrative style is as casual as if he were speaking directly to you in person, and he's exactly the type of person I would want to talk to. As I read, I'm constantly laughing out loud and fully engaged with what he's saying. He never lets you zone out, they way he addresses the reader and keeps you involved in the story and what he's saying.
I feel like I can really identify with Holden Caulfield, which I couldn't do with Stephen Dedalus who seemed so cold and distant from everyone. One of his main intentions throughout the novel has been merely to find a good conversationalist, and this is something I'm always looking for as well. I try to talk to people as much as possible, and although I wouldn't be so inclined to invite a random little girl out for hot chocolate, I share Holden's penchant for talking with people.
I also find his attempts to categorize people quite amusing. "All these handsome guys are the same. When they're done combing their goddam hair, they beat it on you." It makes me laugh, but then when I stop and think about his little generalizations, they have some greater truth and significance. I feel like I know what he means when he says this, and it gets me thinking about all the conceited people I know and how they fit this profile.
Another quotation that got me thinking was: "Every time you mention some guy that's strictly a bastard- very mean, or
very conceited and all- and when you mention it to the girl, she'll
tell you he has an inferiority complex. Maybe he has, but that still
doesn't keep him from being a bastard, in my opinion." At first, I just kind of shook my head at the ridiculous oversimplification, but when I considered it more, it rang true. People in general have a way of turning things around to fit what they want to believe, and what Holden was saying makes sense.
So, I basically think Holden Caulfield is great. His honesty is appealing, he has an astute world view, and his ability to make me laugh while reading gains him major points. I don't really understand how he is so ostracized when he is so warm and charming all the time. I think the people around him don't get him, and just aren't on his level. They're constantly dismissing him, like when the taxi cab driver is irritated by his question about where the ducks go in winter or when Sally is so alarmed by his proposal to run away together. I don't see how they can't be at least a little intrigued by his quirks, rather than being so freaked out. I wish I knew him, though, because I'm sure we'd get along swell.
Partly I think we can identify better with Holdin because he lives in a world more similar to ours. It's hard with Stephen to say "oh, I have been pushed into a square ditch too, and I hate guys like Wells also" because we don't have square ditches anymore. It will be interesting to see how long The Catcher in the Rye stays relevant. If our culture changes to the point where we can't recognize the things Holdin is complaining about, I wonder if Holdin would still be such an engaging narrator.
ReplyDeleteWe may not have square ditches anymore, but the basic dynamic of big kid pushing down little kid to get a laugh sure seems universal. (He might be pushed into something different, but doesn't Wells seem like the Irish version of Ernest Morrow, with his snapping towels?)
DeleteI too have found myself wishing Holden was real while reading this book. I love his unusual insight into things other people wouldn't normally spend time thinking about, like the scene you mentioned where Holden is pondering the wanderings of the ducks in the wintertime. The characters in the book might find this aspect of his personality weird, but I think it makes Holden more appealing, as it demonstrates the depth in his thoughts. I also appreciate how witty Holden is - it makes me want to not put the book down! That being said, Holden does have qualities in him that make him somewhat of a downer sometimes, like getting annoyed at simple holiday traditions like going to see the Christmas show. Nobody's perfect, though, and I like the fact that Salinger creates Holden so that he doesn't ever attempt to become more perfect, either in our eyes or in the opinions of the other characters. Holden would be an awesome person to just talk to if he were real, because he is aware of his own flaws, is funny, and has an appreciation for intelligence and intellectual questions.
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