My husband thinks Holden Caufield is "weird."

[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

He's getting is GED and is taking English. He told me that they were going to read The Catcher in The Rye and I was really happy. I didn't get to read it in HS. I read it on my own. I think it's one of the most important pieces of literature of the 20th century.

So he's now reading it and thinks Holden is "weird."

I don't even know how to respond to that.

Besides all the controversy (being banned and Mark David Chapman), it''s an incredible piece of literature. It's my favorite book because I so related to Holden. My husband is way too optimistic to understand the book.

And, as an immigrant, he sees Holden as being spoiled.

I'm going to re-read the book this weekend. Can anyone help me give more insight to this book for him?

[PapaBear]

It's been a very long time since I read it, but from what I remember, he really was a whiny bitch, unless you're reading it from the point of view of a young white guy.

[Suspect Chin]

Just 'give him the time' and he'll be happy.

[sailor]

It's been a very long time since I read it, but from what I remember, he really was a whiny bitch, unless you're reading it from the point of view of a young white guy.

yeah, I've heard it doesn't hold up well if you're not in that age group anymore. You may want to skip re-reading and live with your recollection of the book.

[Tall_James]

Your husband is aces in my book. I like his attitude.

[Freitag]

When I really worry about something, I don't just fool around. I even have to go to the bathroom when I worry about something. Only, I don't go. I'm too worried to go. I don't want to interrupt my worrying to go.

[Furtherman]

He is right about Holden being spoiled.

[littlebirdy]

yeah, I've heard it doesn't hold up well if you're not in that age group anymore. You may want to skip re-reading and live with your recollection of the book.

That's a good point. I remember that I loved that book when I read it a long time ago. I think I read it twice, actually. But I wonder if I would still like it now...? I don't think I'm going to re-read it though : )

[strawberrypop]

That entire book was about the death of his brother. What some people interpret as whiny was a kid coping with something that huge. It is a brilliant insight into the adolescent psyche while dealing with tragedy.

I never read it in high school, either, but read it as an adult.

[JohnGacysCrawlSpace]

Worst book ever by one the the most overrated heap of shit authors ever.

Salinger, Fitzgerald, and Steinbeck make me want to burn books like its 1933.

[keithy_19]

Worst book ever by one the the most overrated heap of shit authors ever.

Salinger, Fitzgerald, and Steinbeck make me want to burn books like its 1933.

Woah. Back off Fitzgerald. Gatsby is great.

And Of Mice and Men is pretty damn good too. Not bad for a biggot.

I tried to read Catcher In the Rye on my own accord because I thought it would be this great book, since that is what I was told. I read a few pages and put it down. Hated it. I felt no need to read any more of it because I hated the protagonist and simply didn't care what happened to him.

In response to reading the first few pages of that book I started working on a short story where the main character's name is Holden. In the book he bitches about how he has the name Holden because his hippy parents thought it was revolutionary. Upon reading back what I had written I realized that the main character Holden embodied the very holden he hated. Such is life. Have kept the lid on that story for awhile now.

[keithy_19]

You should tell him it could be worse. There's always Jane Austen.

[realmenhatelife]

That could actually be a very funny scene in a movie. It's not like you can have a really justifiable argument with someone because they dont like Holden Caufield, but I could still imagine it being horrifying to be surprised by.


Maybe it would help if he understood the context the book was written in, what was going on in America at that time and how people were finding they were still disillusioned even though coming out of the depression and the war they had all the things they thought would make them happy. And also that it was the first generation in America that was starting to define itself by the difficulty it was having defining itself. This kind of disillusionment is definately a first world problem, but there may be something comparable in the art of where he comes from.

Its tricky because its easy to resent people that have a lot going for them, but in doing so you basically say happiness is material wealth.

Also, the reader is really really important, and the book is completely informed by the reader's experience. So it may come down to him just understanding that in your own life Holden Caufield is a much more poignant character than in his. Thats one of the really great things about literature, the book is inert without the reader, so no two people can experiance a book the same way. When you argue about books its fun to make black and white statements and exaggerate, but if I'm going to be truthful I've never loved a book I couldn't understand why people would hate it, or hated a book I couldn't understand how people could love it.

[spoon]

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[Alice S. Fuzzybutt]

I read the book when I was 15. I re-read it a lot. It really "spoke" to me as a teen.

I re-read it this weekend. I can't help but agree with my husband.

Holden Caufield is a whiny, over-privileged kid.

I need a new favorite book.

[PapaBear]

I need a new favorite book.
It was still a major influence on your life. It came to you at the right time.

[keithy_19]

I need a new favorite book.

Leviticus?

[sailor]

I read the book when I was 15. I re-read it a lot. It really "spoke" to me as a teen.

I re-read it this weekend. I can't help but agree with my husband.

Holden Caufield is a whiny, over-privileged kid.

I need a new favorite book.

warned ya. :(

[Ritalin]

There was a lot of whiny over-privileged writing going on in the post war years. Look at Cheever - same thing.

But I don't think it should be separated by economic class. Kerouac was just older, outer borough Caufield in "On the Road". The Beats were self indulgent bums, too.

[SP1!]

I read the book when I was 15. I re-read it a lot. It really "spoke" to me as a teen.

I re-read it this weekend. I can't help but agree with my husband.

Holden Caufield is a whiny, over-privileged kid.

I need a new favorite book.

Its all perspective, every kid has some grandiose plan of escape when they are at home with no idea how good they have it in a home they dont pay for.

I always thought Holden came off as immature with no clue how the real world worked, whats weird is that On The Road seems to still make me long for that lifestyle.

[midwestjeff]

By lifestyle, you mean paternal dick sucking, right?

[SP1!]

By lifestyle, you mean paternal dick sucking, right?

Whatever gets you off I guess

[Judge Smails]

This thread reminded me about how much I loved this book in high school, though I haven't read it since. I actually went and found my old copy and gave it to my son who was asking for stuff to read.

He's 12 but reading at a high school level. His English teacher was very impressed that he was reading it and told him the same thing I said about how he was going to love it.

Yesterday I asked him how it was going and he said he absolutely HATED it. He said nothing happens and that Holden is just "stupid and annoying". Now, that's coming from a 12 year old. Not sure if my son is just super well adjusted or hasn't become aliented yet or if Holden no longer holds up for the 21st Century youths.

[Coach]

He was spoiled and whiny.. and going off to a booby hatch at the end. I didn't like that book too much out of the ones that were on my reading for that summer, I liked "A Seperate Peace" and "Death Be Not Proud" much better.