Subject: Re: New ending for CITR
From: Tim O'Connor (oconnort@nyu.edu)
Date: Thu Nov 08 2001 - 10:13:04 GMT
On Tue, Nov 06, 2001 at 09:43:37PM -0700, Suzanne Morine wrote:
> Holden does mention wanting to jump out the window but didn't want other
> people to stand around and look at his gory dead body (p. 104). Also, I
> imagine that he wouldn't want to leave Phoebe without him like he is
> without Allie and he certainly wouldn't want her to witness him killing
> himself. (I haven't read this alternate ending in quite some time, but I
> think that's what he does in it.)
>
> It's striking how often suicide comes up in the novel.
In the new book WITH LOVE AND SQUALOR (which I've been intending to
scribble up some notes on, for the list, but been prevented from doing
by, uh, circumstances), there's an entire essay predicated on the
existence of death and suicide obsessions in Catcher. I can't say
honestly that I enjoyed the book tremendously, but I did like a few
pieces in it. It may have been the overwhelming negativity toward
Salinger, the many ad hominem attacks. But some of it was great and
very perceptive.
More when circumstances permit....
--tim
P.S. Belated kudos to Cecilia for her fine essay on outlookindia.com!
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