January
2010
Good bye Mr. Salinger0
J.D. Salinger
Jan. 1, 1919- Jan. 27, 2010
The feelings I have for The Catcher in the Rye are so cliche that I almost don’t want to share them – too bad I’m too big of a sap to keep them in.
I know that countless people have insisted that the Catcher in the Rye changed their life. Again, it’s so cliche that it’s sickening. But seriously, how could it not? I read it when I was a sophomore in high school, and yes, it changed my life. I always loved to read, but after I read The Catcher in the Rye, I felt like reading was cool. I felt like such a bad ass after reading that book. It was really the first book that blew me away – it was such an amazing feeling. Finally, I thought, someone understands me. Holden Caulfield understands me. J.D. Salinger understands me. It was cool to be different, and coming to that understanding played a pivotal role in my development.
I read the book several times throughout high school, but I haven’t read it since. I know that the book will not mean the same thing anymore. I know the angst dripping off of the page will probably irritate my maturer sensibility. I have a feeling that reading it as an adult will tarnish my almost romantic view of the book. I read a couple of Salinger’s other novels and some of his short stories, but none of them compare to The Catcher in the Rye. There is just something special about Holden Caulfield. There is a certain magic in that character, and that is what makes the book so wonderful. Salinger knew this, which is why he never sold the film rights of the book. He knew that Holden is alive only in his readers’ minds, and that Holden’s interiority could not be effectively portrayed on screen.
Anyway, Salinger was one hard-core bad ass, and whenever I think of him I can’t help but feel warm and fuzzy.