Subject: Re: Game Over
From: Mattis Fishman (mattis@argoscomp.com)
Date: Fri Aug 03 2001 - 12:40:40 GMT
Hello Bananafish,
Sean writes (and I quote the relavent parts):
>But seriously, all this "life's a game" mularky brings up a basic
>question about Holden and Catcher. Does Salinger intend Holden's ideals
>to be taken at face value? Are we meant to follow Holden's moral,
>intellectual lead? I suppose the Mark Chapman school of lit crit would
>say 'yes.' (Of course, old Mark went over the edge.) But I think the
>relationship Salinger had in mind between Holden and his readers is a
>bit more complicated.
>
>Like Esme and Sybil, Holden's virtue is fundamentally tied up with
>childhood. Salinger's presents this state of mind in a way that adults
>can appreciate, root for, and probably even recollect. One of my
>favorite things about Holden is how he always refers to people as "old"
>as in "old Jane". At Holden's age my friends and I used this same speech
>mannerism - we thought it was funny in a way I can't really explain, and
>it was pleasantly surprising to later learn that Salinger was in on our
>joke. But, I don't think Salinger intended his adult readers to emulate
>Holden. To do so, would be, well, childish. Holden is a muse like Esme
>and Sybil, not a guru like the aweful, mature-beyond-his-years Teddy.
Sean, you seem to be asking three questions, that are related, but I do
not think are identical,
Does Salinger intend Holden's ideals to be taken at face value?
Are we meant to follow Holden's moral .... lead?
Are we meant to follow Holden's ...... intellectual lead?
Now the question of taking any literary creation's words at face value
is almost impossible to answer definitively, but it is often approached
by examining the author's attitude to his character. Is it sympathetic,
critical? Is the character presented as reliable or untrustworthy, wise
or foolish, sophomoric, pretentious or hypocritical, etc. And after
all this, we are still always reminded that these are only the words
of a fictional character (and in the Salinger/Buddy case, the words of
a character of a character.
From this approach, it seems to me that in presenting Holden as the
protagonist, and especially by writing in the first person, my impression
is that Salinger wanted us to identify with Holden, adding to his
credibility. The fact that it is almost a mantra for a large class of
young people (and young includes people like old Scottie) to identify with
Holden attests to the effectiveness of this style.
But as Sean points out, Salinger discredits Holden slightly, in ways that
may only be evident to older readers, or after repeated readings, by
making him pointedly childish in his behavior. Remember, too, that Holden
fails in everything he sets out to do (and even some these goals
seem unrealistic), giving the record to Phoebe, getting Sally Hayes
to run away (or even enjoy a date), finding a place to stay, even going
back to the fencing equipment and flunking out of school. The focal point
of the whole book comes when he *abandons* his behavior of running away.
If you think about it this conflict between the positive, honest,
insightful side of Holden's narrative and the negative, dishonest,
(I'm a terrific liar, really) immature, even hypocritical aspects of his
behavior is one of the defining features of the book. The contradiction is
sometimes emphasized by the white hair on his childlike head, or by sitting
in a night club and being denied liquor, but it could be simply called the
basic conflict between his intellect versus his emotions, or his perceptions
versus his maturity, or his childlike versus his childish nature.
Now all of this thought, was really precipitated by Sean's excellent
questions, and so to give a short answer, no, Holden's way of thinking
should not be taken at face value. While there is much to suggest
that Holden's honest, childlike, perceptive, intellectual insights
are to be appreciated, from baseball gloves to back seats, his
behavioral patterns (which is how I understand Sean's use of the
phrase "moral .. lead") are not exemplary.
have a fine weekend,
Mattis
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