Subject: RE: I'm telling mom!
From: Will Hochman (hochman@southernct.edu)
Date: Thu Aug 09 2001 - 21:12:32 GMT
First of all, I'm not this lists grammarian Levi and I don't mind run
on sentences or poor punctuation as long as I can figure out what
someone is really saying...I admit that I've been editing letters and
essays for many, many hours and when something is going to be
published (or handed in to a teacher!), care with language is
essential...but online here in the fish bowl, I'm simply happy to
tune in! I believe our Bananafish Dean, Scottie, may have a different
opinion and I do respect it because practicing good writing is really
a life-long pursuit.
I think Holden does plenty of thinking about sex (Jane, Faith, Sally,
Sonny) in some very cool ways, but he may not be explicit enough or
as up to date as our current culture would like. Sex after Aids
changed a lot. I think Holden does implicitly search for sex with
love, but I also think that his search for sex is not as essential as
his desire to understand it. I hear the same need to understand on
some of the posts I've read on this list. I have no advice except
that I believe many of the bananafish here are smart enough to learn
from experience and may be "taught" by Holden well enough to be as
respectful and loving as possible.
Holden does some pretty hefty drinking in Catcher but drugs changed
what it means to drink for young folks learning to be social. I read
reports of binge drinking which sounds pretty sick, but I also know
that being young means experimenting with limits. I think alcohol is
really the most powerful drug because it's easy to get and ingrained
in our culture, while narcotics, ecstasy and cocaine are also very
powerful and can produce some terrifically harmful effects. All
drugs, when used badly will make us into fools, and I think part of
growing up is learning to find what can make us feel good and to use
that knowledge and whatever one imbibes wisely.
Things change. I won't go into a "when I was 21" riff, but I will
simply say that I hope you know being on this list possibly means we
are all catchers at heart, so before going over a crazy cliff with
drugs or sex or whatever, stay close to those who love you...I do,
will
-- Will Hochman Assistant Professor of English Southern Connecticut State University 501 Crescent St, New Haven, CT 06515 203 392 5024http://www.southernct.edu/~hochman/willz.html
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