"Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score, you'll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily, some of them kept records of their troubles. You'll learn from them - if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isn't education. It's history. It's poetry." ~J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Chapter 24, spoken by the character Mr. Antolini.
"Well I read this story on a limb-and I dont know man? as I read it,I was sort of like I kept looking for the big bang. I was so sure there would be a big bang-a big life altering big bang somewhere-I even believed it would happen in the last 2 pages. Maybe a death or SOMETHING. But nothing happened, this novel although proclaimed by many book critics and much of society(see,HS/College English course) as one of the most brilliant written pieces of the 20th century as more or less NOT what I thought it would be. Lets just say dont believe the hype. I mean the book had alot of undertones but one thing I loved were the phrases "helluva" ,'phonies" "that killed me" and of course "necking." Ah if i took one thing away from this novel was the phrases of the 1940s. Pretty limited though they were appeared throughout the novel more then the word "Jesus" in the bible. Holden is a very complex character-he does not seem to like ANYTHING. Old Phoebe was right on for a 10 year old. Her analysis of her brother couldn't be anymore right on. I mean, it is only then that Salinger tells us WHY IN THE HELL or WHAT THE HELL the books title has to do with any of the events that occur during Holden's 3 day hideaway. But of course I only find out what I been wondering at the very end of the book. But hey for some reason as complex as this story was I do admit it was a good read. I took away alot-especially these two things(the qoute above by Mr.Antonoli) and that what Holden feels people do well as he eleqountly puts it and I qoute"People always ruined everything for you!"
My response to this is "RIGHT ON HOLDEN, THAT THEY DO"
Holden's 3 day stint is merely a a head on collision of personal interactions with some people from his life that have molded or swayed him into the rebellious adolescent he is at the present time. From my understanding, my critical assesment of all these players is that they all are :ALL PHONY! It seems the only two people Holden can tolerate are his kid sis Phoebe and his dead brother Allie-or the idea and memories of Allie. Quite complex character-almost everything bothers him to an extent- I mean I totally agree with him on the whole movie thing. I too am not a big fan-it's not that im not a movie fan, I just think I haven't found real acting-similar to Holden to thinks actors are phonies(with the exclusion of the Lunts). Ok so after trailing me on for about 275 pages, I just thought ol Holden would find himself dead or big heap of trouble but all in all after all that talk about heading West and beginining some one man quest for happiness and independence he does none of it and heads back home. He even decides to start school in September. Although I do condone his choice for another shot at his education, I do not get what the whole rebellious nature and running away and going through the complexities of his 3day stint was all about? I mean I guess he needed that release-he needed to see what was out there before he e realized maybe he did have it good. Maybe he was complaining and taking his education for granted. His opportunities and all. Being all depressed.He is lonely throughout the entire novel-scared of adulthood(hence he wants to catch all the little kids before they get swamped into adulthood)- I mean everything depressed this kid. One thing I did site with was knowing the fact that some people will never know what it feels to dine in at fancy restaurants- boy did that depress the hell out of me too! I just hate knowing that. UGH! Well I mean you got to experience Pain before you know what happiness is. And at the end of his 3day saga as Holden sits watching Phoebe on the caroussels all drenched in rain and just right there is where he claims this sudden happiness(almost the only time in the whole story he is happy too!) occurs. LONG BEHOLD, the unthinkable, the impossible has occured. Holden is happy? Of course this sudden happiness is the kind, I feel, only comes after you experience a whirlwind of depression,unease,unhappinness, and confusion. All things little ol Holden experiences leading up to what I believe is the BIG BANG. He realizes right then that he can turn it around-truly-we all can...But at the time you dont believe it is so because you rather be dull and sulk not knowing the unknown. But the moment you go through the downs..no ups...a pattern of downs-all in consecutive order-is when a sudden cloud is lifted a sudden feeling of happiness occurs. CASE IN POINT.
GO READ THIS BOOK- It is a classic- but you will only think so if you read the words on the page but see that they mean something completely different then what it is written.
