CITR, john lennon, and mark david chapman

LvlyRita42@aol.com
Wed, 29 Dec 1999 22:57:49 -0500 (EST)

when i was in the sixth grade, i fell madly in Love with john lennon. simply, 
plainly, he became, though i hate to use the word, my idol.
when i was in the seventh grade, i saw a documentary that chronicled the life 
of mark david chapman, mr. lennon's assassin. chapman used CITR to justify 
his act. he wanted to be his own catcher in the rye. he felt that if john 
lennon were to continue in his manner, releasing albums to satisfy the public 
and doing so many interviews, though just years before he had committed 
himself to the "househusband" life, he would fall off the cliff. chapman 
stated that he was only trying to preserve mr. lennon's near godliness. i was 
in the seventh grade when i heard about that. i hadn't read the book yet, and 
i began to regard it with just a bit of hatred, for i dimly saw it only as 
the reason mr. lennon was dead.
when i was in the eighth grade, i began to change. i challenged many of the 
institutions that had bound me (largely with mr. lennon's help). i'm not 
citing any "bad girl" revolution, just an awakening (one which i didn't have 
to drown myself for).
the summer after my eighth grade year, i felt brave enough to read CITR. i 
fell madly in Love with holden caulfield. 

fond wishes...
a very young, silly linny

ps. though i've been on the list for a while, i am one of those naughty 
lurkers you hear so much about. boo :-)