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 > > > > > > > > > > >