Re: Quiet list? there's always

Valerie Thompson (american_night@hotmail.com)
Tue, 30 Jun 1998 19:19:55 -0700 (PDT) 

>Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 19:01:06 -0700
>From: Cheryl Cline <ccline@uclink4.berkeley.edu>
>Subject: Re: Quiet list? there's always
>To: bananafish@lists.nyu.edu
>Reply-to: bananafish@lists.nyu.edu
>
>Valerie Thompson wrote:
>> 
>> 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~
>> 
>
>I didn't think the question was whether Holden was in a place for
>physical or psychological sickness.  I'm starting to question whether 
he
>really broke down or not, or was merely dragged into the place by his
>parents.  But if he did break down, I'm certain it was for 
psychological
>reasons.
>
>I really doubt Holden was suffering from physical sickness.  Of course,
>he does say something about growing six inches in one year and having 
to
>"come out here" for "checkups and stuff," but I think that his sudden
>physical growth is supposed to say more about his mental state, the 
same
>way that half his head was covered with gray hairs.  
>
>Holden's feeling that he was disappearing was supposed to be a sign 
that
>he was a borderline schizophrenic, at least according to my high school
>English teacher, who must know everything because he's finally 
published
>a book.  But that's the evaluation of Holden's mental state that I
>pretty much go by.
>
>Cheryl
>
>

I thought it MIGHT be physical because of this bit at the beginning:

"...I grew six and a half inches last year. That's also how I 
practically got t.b. and came out here for all these goddam checkups and 
stuff..."

~Valerie~

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