re: hunting hat

Mattis Fishman (mattis@argos.argoscomp.com)
Wed, 11 Mar 1998 12:10:47 -0500 (EST)

Will, or rather will, writes:

>In this story, catcher, and some unpublished work, salinger seems to link
>how a hat is postioned on one's head to sensibilities of awareness...

I am sure you recalled Sergeant X's comment that he had his own
peculiar way of wearing his hat, "slightly down over both ears".

For my part, I am always averse to symbolism and prefer to see
an unadjusted or ill fitting hat as an effective way of making
a character look out of synch with fashion. Perhaps the wearer is trying
to affect a stylish look, or being forced to conform (as with a uniform)
yet comes out slightly pathetic (as my older sister said quite a few
years ago, when she greeted me in my new fedora "you look like a little
boy dressing up in his father's hat"). It is not surprising that
someone whose fashion awareness is underdeveloped would have his other
f-a-c-u-l-t-i-e-s more advanced.

all the best,
Mattis