Re: In search of User Perspectives on Catcher in the Rye

Emily Friedman (bananafish_9@yahoo.com)
Tue, 01 Dec 1998 19:52:13 -0800 (PST) 

-
> totally against your principles? as the person who herself said she
olny
> reads great literature, have you never been stuck on a really big
book?
> have you never come to an impasse on your thoughts and needed
something to
> prod you along? and if you haven't, can you understand what it would
be
> like for someone else who has?
> 
> don't you think that this smacks of self-righteousness? don't you
think
> that it is only good and fair for people who *aren't* in advanced
englich
> classes, people who would never read books unless it were for school
to
> have a lil bit of something to guide them along?
> 
> i know i never would have finished reading king lear without having an
> annotated copy and study notes. it didn't stop me from making up my
own
> mind, it just helped me see what other people had seen in it, and then
> make up my own views.
> 
> (also, i'm well aware that this fully contradicts anything i may
have said
> recently
> about the use of green day and other musicians in english classes.
whoever
> said opinions were constant? :))
>                                          :helena kim
> 
>                      helena at netsoc dot tcd dot ie
>            'the church is near, but the road is icy.
>          the bar is far, but i will walk carefully.'
>                                    - russian proverb
> 
First of all I do not only read great literature, although some of the
current novels I read might be someday.It is all a matter of taste
helena. I have never used Cliff notes because I really do not like
them. My current English teacher shares my opinion.While reading
Julias Ceaser I almost used them but I stopped myself and I was proud
of myself afterwards for getting through the book eithout using cliff
notes. I have heard too many people say that they did not read the
books assigned in class, but read the Cliff notes instead. This to me
is sad because they are really ruining the experience for themselves.
Maybe some people really do get a lot of use out of them and that is
great, but personally I would never use them. There is nothing self
rightous about it, it's just how I personally feel.
-Liz Friedman

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