Re: Quiet list? there's always

WILL HOCHMAN (hochman@uscolo.edu)
Wed, 01 Jul 1998 08:53:22 -0600 (MDT) 

I think Valerie offers a fine quote to support the idea that holden is
receiving psyhcological care.  It's quite likely the problem holden is
dealing with is learning to deal with Allie's death...plus, he's falling
off the curb with no "catcher in the rye" there to help him but himself.
My interpretation of the book is that it shows Holden recovering since he
can tell the story of his breakdown.  will

On Tue, 30 Jun 1998, Valerie Thompson wrote:

> >> > Holden tried to deal with
> >> > it on his own, which ultimately, I guess, didn't work, since he had 
> a
> >> > breakdown in the end.
> >> 
> >> Did he??? I think that's as debatable a point as Franny being 
> pregnant. Any
> >> takers on this oft-discussed argument?
> >> 
> >> Camille
> >> verona_beach@geocities.com
> >> @ THE ARTS HOLE
> >> www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/6442
> >
> >
> >It sure sounds like Holden has a breakdown when he sees Phoebe on the
> >carousel.  Otherwise, how would he have wound up in the therapy place
> >near Hollywood?  This fall of his is also predicted by Mr. Antolini.  
> On
> >the other hand, it seems that Holden resolves his conflicts while
> >watching Phoebe on the carousel-like thinking to himself that you have
> >to let little kids fall off sometimes and so on.  Hell, I don't know.
> >
> >Cheryl
> >
> 
> But WAS he in a place for psychological therapy, or was he in a hospital 
> for a physical sickness? THAT is the question. 
> I tend to think it was psychological, in part because of his thinking he 
> was going to disappear every time he crossed a street:
> 
> "Every time I came to the end of a block and stepped off the goddam 
> curb, I had this feeling that I'd never get to the other side of the 
> street. I thought I'd just go down, down, down, and nobody'd ever see me 
> again. Boy did it scare me. You can't imagine...Then I started doing 
> something else. Every time I'd get to the end of a block, I'd make 
> believe I was talking to my brother Allie. I'd say to him "Allie, don't 
> let me disappear. Allie don't let me disappear. Allie don't let me 
> disappear. Please, Allie." And then when I reached the other side of the 
> street without disappearing, I'd thank him."
> 
> The breakdown could have been physical, but I don't think so.
> 
> ~Valerie~
> 
> 
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