Hello! So I was wonderin', a couple of posts ago you mentioned that you didn't like Catcher in the Rye? Can I ask why? It's one of my favourite books, though it took me a long time to actually finish it because at first I really didn't like the main character. Thank you :)
Hi! I hope you don't mind I make this public. I just figured I'd say it now, should anyone else be curious, as I differ from a lot of people in this aspect and I imagine there are some that may be curious as to why. :)
But ah, yes, you hit the nail on the head for me. XD I just really, really don't like Holden Caulfield. He's incredibly unlikeable for me, even though on occasion I could relate to him; I ended up finishing the book thinking, "That's it? Really?" It was the most unsatisfied I had ever felt reading a book, and I was extremely disappointed.
It might be because I read it when I was 20 or so, so that age of adolescence when I know a lot of people can relate to it had technically passed...but really I feel like it was because nothing he said felt new or insightful or deep. The idea that people, specifically adults, could be "phonies" was obvious to me, and had been obvious for years; that's how mind and power games are played, and I was already interested in politics, which is full of those. The idea that isolation can be used to protect oneself was also not new, but the fact that he did so because he felt superior to everyone around him completely ruined it for me because I didn't find him superior to anyone whatsoever. I'm also an extroverted person with an introverted streak and fascinated in people, so his need to be close but his instinct to drive them away kind of fell flat to me, too.
And then his desire to keep things fixed and simple and his division of childhood and adulthood worlds also completely fell flat because I'm the exact opposite. I see complexity in almost everything and love it, and grow weary when things remain static for too long. As much as I can hate change, I also like it because it keeps things interesting. And the idea that childhood is saintly and innocent compared to adulthood seems ridiculous to me, as children can definitely be cruel in ways that only children can be, and adults can be good in ways that children can't understand.
So yeah. The reason I didn't like it was because I disagreed with almost every thought he had, his hypocrisy annoyed me, and I simply didn't like the narrator. I know a ton of people, though, including Benedict Cumberbatch (not that I know him personally XD), really like the book, so I know many people must relate to something in it strongly enough to consider it one of their favorites. I'm just not one of those people. >_>
But I figure Holden would hate me if he knew me, and I would hate him if I knew him, so there's no love lost, there.
(If anyone wants to respond, feel free~ I like discussing things)
