/lit/ - Literature

I couldn't identify with Holden, but I felt sympathy for him. The first person was good, Stream of consciousness never went past it's stay.

Go ahead.

I recently re-read it, it was better. Salinger really got down the idea of childhood angst. How Holden was crippled and would never mature. And how he sees the world through the eyes of a wounded child. It really makes you feel sad for him.


Also the fact that he was molested at the end of the book.

But none the less, it was a fantastic novel. Great themes.

op here
i guess i didn't hate it as much as i thought, because now that i think about it, the themes were pretty well portrayed, that whole preservation of innocence motif and what not. However i realized that it wasn't so much the book i hated, but the character. it's hard to describe, but the character just made me very mad, probably because he swore in every sentence, was a hypocrite, and that one word; PHONY... man did i hate that word by the end of the novel...

why does everyone feel the need to identify with characters in a book?

>>1836085
this guy gets it

>>1836077

I once had a teacher tell me that Catcher in the Rye was an excellent gauge of maturity. Kids identify with Holden, while adults HATE him.

I also have heard a persuasive argument about socio economic status having much to do about it. Working class kids, or kids who lived below the poverty line have absolutely no way to relate to Holden. He is a baby, a brat, spoiled. He was given every opportunity that has been denied to readers of that class.

I think much of the hate for Salinger comes from that fact. People do not make the distinction that they hate the character not the book, and do not question why they hate him so much.

>>1836101
i honestly think the only reason they had us read this book in my lit class, was because it was "controversial." (i.e. KILL JOHN LENNON)

The fact that Holden gets molested is the most controversial bit in this book, because no one knows if it really happened or not.

>>1836106

The only reason I got to read it was because of Lennon's death, in my High school it was banned until some asshole decided that if it inspired Hippy Killing, it must be okay.

...I do not miss the south.

I felt bad for the guy. There were a couple spots where I thought he was almost sweet. Like with the prostitute (before he got his ass kicked). I didn't think he was the greatest or anything, but I thought it was a good story.

I identified with Holden when I first read it, but when I reread it a couple years back, it was more sympathy than anything. The guy's a wounded child who's stunted in his adolescence. He doesn't hate phonies, he hates/is scared of adulthood.

It's a pretty great book regardless.

This does have one of the saddest moments of all god damned time though. When he's walking on the curve, and thinks he's gonna get lost, and keeps calling out to Allie. Holy fuck.

Love the book. Hate Holden with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. He is the whiniest, bitchiest, most unsympathetic protagonist I have ever seen in any medium, and I've played Final Fantasy X.

I think too many people get caught up in their disdain for Holden and ignore the narrative.

>>1836160
>and I've played Final Fantasy X
I think you meant to say,
>and I've played Final Fantasy VII

>>1836168

You know, if you actually go back and play VII, you'll notice that Cloud is actually not that mopey/emo and is more of a dork. (Think of the "Let's mosey!" line for example.)

Admittedly, he did have his whiney moments and the additions to the series (Advent Children, Crisis Core, etc.) have only added to this image of his character.

At the very least, he didn't have the most awkward scene in the history of gaming (HA HA HA HA HA).

>>1836184
>mfw this thread is about final fantasy now

>>1836184
>Cloud is actually not that mopey/emo and is more of a dork.
The same could be said of Tidus. But hey, at least they're not Squall, the king of crybabies.

>>1836207

Tidus annoyed me far more than Cloud ever did. Now that I think about it though, I supposed I should have said:

"and I've played Final Fantasy XII."

Is Squall that way too? I've never actually play VIII, but from what I've gathered he's mostly:

"Whatever..."

Followed by

"Rinoa!"

and some more

"Whatever..."

>>1836205

I don't see you discussing The Catcher in the Rye.

>>1836142
I Think he's more afraid of a normal lifestyle, and what he sees as a part of that as well as the people who follow it. Look through his eyes at the adults. Everybody is unhappy and has a rod up their ass, and will live a long, boring, unfulfilling life up until they die. And he mourns the fact that there is no alternative, that he is one of these people. Because during this entire book he rags on the teenagers his age he sees as acting like adults. But goddamn, he acts like he's a sane guy in an insane asylum. And they act like he's the nut. And the truth is in between those views.

>>1836263
this guy opened my eyes to an angle i hadn't seen before. well done, sir.

Bump.

>>1836057

This book is iconic for its portrayal of a lot of themes we see in modern literature today. It has a particular style about it which can be annoying to people but it was necessary for Salinger to write it as such to show the complexity of Holden. Or maybe the childishness. Do not focus on the style but rather focus on the evolution of his character and how he interacts with others (especially women)

It has a bad rep amongst some because it over analyzed to death. Disconnect yourself from analyzing everything and just enjoy it. Salinger is just super.

>Read the book based on ex girlfriends recommendation
>Fucking hate it
>Soon realize ex-girlfriend only likes it because she is a socially awkward person, much like Holden, trying to achieve normality and not be a "poser" like everyone else
>Realize she's 22 and not a teenager anymore
>We break a few months later
>Book saved me from being in a terrible relationship with a social retard
>It still sucks

>i'm going to hate a classic book
>hurr durr aren't i edgy?

Salinger's always done it for me. Catcher is a brilliant piece of work, as is most of his other writing.

Catcher got me through my childhood, and as an adult I'm in love with the rebellious innocence inherent in Holden.

Fantastic novel.

>>1836057
One of my absolute favourites for all of the reasons listed here. I feel sorry that you can't relate with Holden on some level.

>>1836085
what the fuck does it matter if you hate the character or not. u tards have been brainwashed by hollywood where writers wouldn't dare put an unlikeable character in the main role.

why don't you go watch some stupid shitty movie instead where the character is some boring all-american good-intentioned fucking forrest gump mother-fucker.

I regret paying 6$ for that piece of shit, fucking awful book.

>Hurrr, I was expecting crazy shit that would make me want to kill a celebrity