Re: New subscriber...
WILL HOCHMAN (hochman@uscolo.edu)
Tue, 06 Oct 1998 07:31:33 -0600 (MDT)
Thanks Camille...I think it's superb to hear a woman understand that men
aren't always able to understand women...I embrace feminism and want more
equality in my world and know women have needs men can address
better...but it isn't easy and simple and I think mr. salinger has
honestly contructed female characters as part of his own learning
process...for me DeDuamier's Smith's Blue Period may have some of the most
leading moments of feminism...but Laughing Man and Mary Hudson playing
baseball also hits home...will
On Tue, 6 Oct 1998, Camille Scaysbrook wrote:
>
> > Kim,
> > As a female reader of Salinger how do you view his writing about women. I
> > am trying to get a perspective on how other women view this author's
> women
> > from a feminist viewpoint.
> > If you have nothing to say about this subject, fear not.
> > Thanks.
>
> I am not Kim but I'm answering this one anyway (: I necessarily try to look
> upon writings as a reader first, and any other emotional baggage I might
> have second - i.e. I never try to approach things from a feminist
> standpoint. In fact, it irritates me a little that this is presupposed as
> the `proper' position to view women from - very rarely are you allowed to
> study a woman/study as a woman without this viewpoint.
>
> Generally you can see that Salinger writes about women from a male
> perspective. Most of the Women in Salinger are enigmas - albeit very
> beautiful enigmas (Sybil, Muriel, Charlotte, the nun from `De Daumier
> Smith', Jane Gallager) Yet on quite the other hand he gives articulate and
> original voices to characters such as Franny, and handles them quite
> perceptively. He certainly isn't as patronising of women as many of his
> contemporaries.
>
> Camille
> verona_beach@geocities.com
> @ THE ARTS HOLE www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/6442
> @ THE INVERTED FOREST www.angelfire.com/pa/invertedforest
>