Re: Bases and Faces
Camille Scaysbrook (verona_beach@hotpop.com)
Thu, 07 Oct 1999 13:22:01 +1000
Jim wrote:
> Because there has to be a point in writing a coming of age story ;) Or a
> point to the loss of innocence, and sexual awakening. To me, a story
that
> depicts those things and goes no further is a waste of time. I've
> experienced all that and am aware it happens, thank you very much. So
what?
What, then, is the point of reading Catcher? What indeed is the point of
reading anything? Are you saying that the quality of empathy is utterly
irrelevant in literature? This is extremely puzzling to me. To me the
beauty of TLM is that is conveys a similar message to Catcher in a
completely different, very succinct way - in perhaps the way that Holden's
English teacher would have liked. You don't need to know anything about the
protagonist to recognise and empathise with his plight.
I think you're attempting to put the O. Henry filter over this story - just
because it is masquerading as a simple tale doesn't mean it is one. Why
should the story within the story be parallel to the action? What invisible
rule says so? Anything other than your own expectations? Salinger would
*never* be that obvious. Why should he be? To me that is one of the most
delightful aspects of his fiction. The fact that the stories intersect only
subtly if at all only makes the story all the more resonant for me. I
recommend that you go back and read it again remembering you're reading
Salinger, not James Thurber.
Camille
verona_beach@hotpop.com