Re: wait...that gray-hair thing...
Camille Scaysbrook (verona_beach@geocities.com)
Thu, 02 Jul 1998 10:16:48 +1000
> Supposedly the feeling that one is disappearing is a sign of
> schizophrenia, and Holden describes this feeling several times in the
> novel. No matter how angsty someone is, I don't think it's normal for
> that person to feel as if she or he is physically disappearing, so I buy
> into the schizophrenia argument.
I think everyone's taking this a little too literally. Haven't you ever had
that zoned out feeling - when you stare at something too hard; so long that
you're not really even looking at it any more? I think this is more along
the lines of what Holden is describing rather than an actual physical
sensation.
> He also talks out loud to Allie a lot, despite being something of an
> atheist. Would this indicate a problem as well?
I don't think so. I think in fact it doesn't have a lot to do with
religious persuasion. Talking to someone who's died says more about you
than it does about the person - this just happened to be Holden's way of
dealing with it, especially where he replays his rejection of Allie with a
positive rather than negative ending. I don't remember him ever wondering
if these messages *got * to Allie.
Camille
verona_beach@geocities.com
@ THE ARTS HOLE
www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/6442