Re: Racial diversity here and possible (probable maybe,even?) lack,

Andrew Charles Kennis (holden@escape.com)
Thu, 13 Aug 1998 00:49:16 -0400 (EDT)

On Wed, 12 Aug 1998, WILL HOCHMAN wrote:

> Peggy makes some good points...I too have experience with black and
> hispanics kids zoning into holden despite racial/economic differences and
> think that indicates his character reaches beyond most stereotypes of race
> and class.  will
> 
> 

Once again, god knows I even know of many people hailing form Latino and
African-American backgrounds who adore Holden Caulfield.  Truly, JDS
probably manages to transcend race and class with his characterization of
the very universalized Holden Caulfield, more than any other fictional
character in his writings. All of this, however, does not negate the
possibility of there being a lot of truth to the initial postulate though,
which is simply that race *and* class, *among other* sociological
influneces, probably play a significant role in whether or not scores of
people are able to relate and like JDS's writings and prose style. 


--AK