Maynard is Satan

Lomanno (lomanno@ix.netcom.com)
Fri, 13 Nov 1998 17:27:02 -0500

mepierce wrote:

> i expected the disdain, but I am surprised by the disinterest.  When I
> am affected by a literary work, I want to know all I can about the
> person who wrote it.  What might he have said to her about his writing
> that he hasn't said to the world? i know , i know. . .why the hell trust
> her rendition of their odd little affair?  I don't. But i suppose that
> some of it is true--his function as a father to mathew and peggy is
> flattering. . .and emphasizes his themes of idealized childhood.

I can only speak for myself, but my disinterest in Maynard is due mostly
to the fact that I don't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing
I'm interested (as if she'd ever know). Don't you think she's interested
enough in herself? She's her own biggest fan--she doesn't need me.

And as far as learning all I can about Salinger because I love his
writing, I've talked about my opinions before: he doesn't want me to
know about his personal life, so I don't want to know about his personal
life. I respect his wishes and enjoy his writing at face value.

...But for Maynard to violate his privacy in such a blatantly
self-promoting, obnoxious, sleazy way just makes me understand
Salinger's position that much more. It's publicity-mongers like her that
made Salinger inaccessible to the rest of us. He tried to give of
himself, and he got burned (I'm leaning more toward disdain than
disinterest, aren't I? Well, you got me all riled up!).

Let me change the subject. How old is Salinger now? He must be over 80.

--Kari