Subject: Re: JDS and his characters
From: Lisa M. Rabey (lisar@net-link.net)
Date: Wed Mar 19 1997 - 00:41:02 GMT
At 08:19 PM 3/18/97 -0500, you wrote:
>
>
>On Tue, 18 Mar 1997 Matthew_Stevenson@BAYLOR.EDU wrote:
>
>> a writer can hardly help but to infuse his characters with his ideals.
this
>> does not mean that their speech patterns, habits, etc. are compatible
with the
>> author's, but every character contains at leat a grain of the author's
self.
>>
>
>I disagree. The amazing thing about excellent authors is their
>imaginative capacity to have their characters think, speak, and act like
>totally different people.
Hmmm..is it possible that someone could be on both sides of the fence here?
I agree with both!
I think that excellent authors (regardless of the genre), can not only
incorporate some of their patterns, habits, and what have you, but that
they can do so, in a way that the characters won't come out looking like
Valley of the Dolls. Contemporary author, Stephen King for example, uses
himself in many of his books (and the main reason why he wrote horror is
because he was scared of the dark!), but each protagonist is decidedly
different then the last.
Bringing in JDS, I would have to say, his two primary (and most memorable
characters) such as Seymour and Holden have tons of similarities in their
own right (feeling different from the world, seeing the 'truth', a little
bit intimidated by society as whole) and differences (Holden flunked out of
all the prep schools, and Seymour graduated with his pHd at a young age)
to make them not only unique, but also different souls altogether.
Bringing up this argument, would be -who- JDS was in the first place. He
is, decidedly intelligent, but also a recluse, which, I would dare say
would be what Seymour would be life if he didn't commit suicide.
There are, of course, characters in the books, who is probably more JDS
then thought of. Take Phoebe. She has some of Holden's qualities, BUT, she
see's things as if, JDS were her, guiding Holden, through her. And Buddy.
He was a transitional character (meaning he incorporated brought many of
the stories together as a whole), by not only incorporating JDS qualities
(such as living in a remote town, teaching college, away from prying eyes,
being, a recluse (no phone!)), but also having enough foot on the ground,
to sort of wall the two worlds between.
The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. At least to me :)
Lisa M. Rabey
NetLink Systems, LLC
Tech Support and Web Design
http://www.net-link.net/~lisar
************************************
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If I have to listen to their opinions, I deserve compensation. -Dogbert
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