the catcher in the rye

[self biased]

i just finished reading it for the first time, and i'm rather thoroughly disappointed. why is this book such a huge deal? the only thing i was really able to take away from it in terms of subtext is that Holden had something to do with his brother allie's death, and that's the reason he's such delinquent. did salinger have some kind of bet with his buddies that he could get just about any piece of garbage published?

or am i missing some greater point?

[EPW]

loss of innocence etc etc

[self biased]

there was no loss of innocence. he was already a bastard.

[EPW]

but he wanted to be a child, or at least that's how we are supposed to interpret is attraction to young children.

[self biased]

i interpreted his attraction more as guilt.

[EPW]

This "catcher in the rye" is an analogy for Holden who sees these children playing tag as innocent and pure. Falling off the cliff would be a progression into adulthood and maturity (which he often views as a digression from this innocence into a negative world)

this is how I was told to interpret it.

Holden had something to do with his brother allie's death

I don't think that's true.

[Zevico]

there was no loss of innocence. he was already a bastard.

Stop using italic. It makes everything you write appear enigmatic and insightful.

[self biased]

the narrative as a whole is pretty bunk. as far as 'loss of innocence' stories go lord of the flies was far superior.

[EPW]

Lord of the Flies was awesome though. CITR is popular because it introduces the high schoolers to swear words, violence, and sex in english class.

[self biased]

the story isn't so bad and it's blissfully short, given that having holden tell the story is maddening.

[Docfeelgood]

i just finished reading it for the first time, and i'm rather thoroughly disappointed. why is this book such a huge deal? the only thing i was really able to take away from it in terms of subtext is that Holden had something to do with his brother allie's death, and that's the reason he's such delinquent. did salinger have some kind of bet with his buddies that he could get just about any piece of garbage published?

or am i missing some greater point?

Yes I concur.
just as bad reading as Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses.

[Theben]

Conrad's Heart of Darkness was pretty lame IMO.

[chequita guevara]

i just finished reading it for the first time, and i'm rather thoroughly disappointed.

You aren't an angsty teenager. If you hit 18 before reading it, don't ever bother.

[Elok]

Yeah, it sucks. I did rather enjoy it when the pimp smacked him around though. The book needed a lot more of that; a good beatdown might have taught Holden how to behave.

[Krill]

Catch-22 is pretty crappy as well IMO.