Subject: Holden
From: Steven Jackson (S.R.Jackson@Bradford.ac.uk)
Date: Sat Feb 15 1997 - 15:22:14 GMT
I always got the impression that Holden's narrative is actually a book.
I don't think he's talking to an analyst or a relation but to all of us
through this sort of autobiographical essay he's writing from the
hospital (or wherever he is).
This point also seems to link to what someone was saying earlier. How
does he know who is going to read the book? Holden, like Buddy, seems
confidant that the reader will not be a phony or a lousy pervert. This
shows a faith in the human spirit typical of Salinger. Even though he
hated the attention he recieved after the publication of Catcher, he
admitted that many of the letters he got were "very nice"; he thinks
people should "read and run", but accepts that it would be nice if the
author of your favourite books was "a terific friend of yours" whom you
could call up on the telephone; he dislikes "interview, advice, and
autograph hunters", but understands why Mr Westmoreland would want the
"inside dope" on Sonny Varioni. What I'm trying to say, in a garbled
and not altogether clear way, is that in my opinion Salinger has
stopped publishing not because he wants to controll who sees his work
but because he realises it is infair to publish something interesting
then complain when people swallow the hook and become interested.
Jesus, does that make any sense???
Now, on to what I was going to ask in the first place...
Allie has become a kind of saint in Holden's eyes (much lke Seymour to
the Glass family), but what do you think their relationship was like
before he died? Did Holden rever him then? He tells of the time he made
Allie stay at home because he was too young to play with him and his
friend -- but if Allie was so darned clever and all would Holden have
done this? I don't think so. But if this is the case, how can we
explain the incident in the garage when Holden breaks all the windows?
Is he angry that his fantastic brother has died or angry at himself for
not loving him enough? What I'm basicaly saying is this: is Holden's
elevation of Allie to mythical status a guilty reaction to having not
appreciated him while he was alive...?
If you've read this far, well done. I'd really like to hear what you've
got to say on this matter, it's been niggling at the back of my mind
for weeks now...
----------------------------
Steven Jackson
(s.r.jackson@bradford.ac.uk)
----------------------------
John Keats,
John Keats.
John.
Please put your scarf on.
----------------------------
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