RE: view point

Sean Draine (seandr@microsoft.com)
Fri, 23 Oct 1998 16:42:57 -0700

I (adult) recently read Catcher. I think I'm too mature to be susceptible to
Holden's particular style of depressive thinking, so I couldn't fully
identify with him. But I recognized Holden. His fears, his evaluations of
what was happening around him were familiar. 

-Sean

> -----Original Message-----
> From: WILL HOCHMAN [mailto:hochman@uscolo.edu]
> Sent: Friday, October 23, 1998 10:47 AM
> To: bananafish@lists.nyu.edu
> Subject: Re: view point
> 
> 
> I think both may be best but I'm most curious when adults 
> pick up Catcher
> and find it worthy...is it a way to be young again or what 
> that makes old
> folks enjoy a book about young folks? will
> 
> On Fri, 23 Oct 1998, akemi deherrera wrote:
> 
> > Not having read Catcher when I was a teenager I can't say 
> what it was like
> > however, reading it as an adult was great.  I agree with 
> Dave reading
> > Catcher as an adult, I believe you are still able to 
> experience the book
> > to its fullest. I do agree with Camille also though.  I 
> think if I read
> > Catcher as a teenager I would have been able to identify 
> with Holden's
> > feelings of confusion.  I think at any age you read Catcher it is
> > revealing and entertaining.  I think any person at any age 
> can learn and
> > enjoy.
> > akemi   
> > 
> > On Fri, 23 Oct 1998, David Schrimpf wrote:
> > 
> > > Camille Scaysbrook said:
> > > 
> > > > >I figure
> > > > > she must have missed the point of the story or read it as
> > > > an adult with
> > > > little
> > > > > understanding of teenage feelings/thoughts
> > > 
> > > I dunno, I think Catcher is even more touching  and
> > > effective when
> > > you read it as an adult. That way you're not *relating* to
> > > Holden,
> > >  you're kinda looking at him and recognizing some of the
> > > thoughts
> > >  you had when you were his age (and some you still have, I
> > > know)
> > > and you can kinda laugh and appreciate it all.
> > > 
> > > What I'm trying to say is that whether this english teacher
> > > read
> > > the book as a teenager or an adult shouldn't make a
> > > difference. If
> > > you don't GET The Catcher in the Rye, then you don't get
> > > it. At
> > > any age.
> > > 
> > > Dave
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > 
>