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The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger


KAY

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I have liked or disliked many books but I have never "loathed" a book or wanted to "slap" a character in a book. Novels are in the final analysis works of fiction. Try not to take them so seriously.

 

It's interesting that you think this way - but others (me included) obviously do not.

I take my fiction very seriously indeed. And don't think that needs to change.

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It's interesting that you think this way - but others (me included) obviously do not.

I take my fiction very seriously indeed. And don't think that needs to change.

 

I love my books and my writers Bree but I have never felt strongly enough to loathe a book. that was my point.

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I love my books and my writers Bree but I have never felt strongly enough to loathe a book. that was my point.

I understand. I just think emotions are emotions. And if you can love a character/book, then being irritated or loathing another is just as natural.

:smile:

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I understand. I just think emotions are emotions. And if you can love a character/book, then being irritated or loathing another is just as natural.

:smile:

 

You are right Bree. I shouldn't encourage suppression of emotion. My apologies to everybody.

Edited by Milo MInderbinder
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Its clear this book has its fans and it knockers which is fine but I think we need some perspective here. I have liked or disliked many books but I have never "loathed" a book or wanted to "slap" a character in a book. Novels are in the final analysis works of fiction. Try not to take them so seriously.

Good grief - how patronising! :rolleyes:

 

I'd sooner read a book and find it inspired me to some sort of emotion than read them and feel ambivalent towards them!

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Good grief - how patronising! :rolleyes:

 

I'd sooner read a book and find it inspired me to some sort of emotion than read them and feel ambivalent towards them!

 

Hang on. I wasn't being patronising. You have totally misunderstood the post. I was saying that I thought the term "loathe" was a bit heavy to be used in describing feelings towards a book. That was all.

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Good news for you Janet. I have just emailed one of your admin lot with a request to delete my forum membership and profile. I think when people don't know each other personally a lot can get lost in translation with regard to forum posts. And to be quite honest I don't need the hassle of trying to explain myself to a stranger.

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Its clear this book has its fans and it knockers which is fine but I think we need some perspective here. I have liked or disliked many books but I have never "loathed" a book or wanted to "slap" a character in a book. Novels are in the final analysis works of fiction. Try not to take them so seriously.

 

I was the one that wanted to slap him, I just found him very annoying and thought that he needed someone to give him a slap and tell him to pull himself together. Now while this is one of the few books I have disliked, there are many others that I have loved and been almost upset that the book has ended. Now, if that means I take me fiction seriously, so be it, I'm proud to be moved by a work of fiction, which ever way it might be :D

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Good news for you Janet. I have just emailed one of your admin lot with a request to delete my forum membership and profile. I think when people don't know each other personally a lot can get lost in translation with regard to forum posts. And to be quite honest I don't need the hassle of trying to explain myself to a stranger.

You singled out my comment about loathing the book and then said that people should "try not to take them too seriously". I was simply defending my right to have emotions - I don't think that calls for you to stop posting! Still, that's your prerogative. We don't generally delete members accounts. If you feel you have to go over a trifle like this then so be it - but I really think you are overreacting!

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  • 2 months later...

I read this at school too and I loved it! I want to read it again though just to make sure that I do still love it :P

 

Holden is completely annoying, I can understand that, he irritated me a lot too but unusually that didn't put me off it. In fact I think it added to it, the fact that we don't like Holden kinda made me want to see what happened to him in some kind of hope it wouldn't be good. I do remember feeling sorry for him by the end though.

 

Like I said though I definitely need to read the book again and formulate a fresh opinion.

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I love this book!!! It is one of my fave! I remember, though, I used to think Holden was too strange to be true: I mean, all this self distruction going on. But now i work with teenagers I truly understand how real was the character of Holden! And I realise how happy my adolescence was! :P

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  • 2 weeks later...

I read Catcher in the rye in high school and didn't get it. I thought, what's the big deal? I read it again in college and my opinion completely changed. I thought it was one of the most touching books I've read. What I really liked about it is the sense of loss. It's hard to capture that in a character who hasn't truly lost something tangible. But Holden fears that he is about to lost something, even though he doesn't know what it is. Also, the part where he gives Penelope the broken record pieces is unforgettable.

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  • 1 year later...

Yes, I do feel like Holden. I'm 16 yeard old like him, but I do not smooke (neveeeer!) and I my brother didn't die, but I do complain a lot like him...I think I can understand him and I feel bad that others can't. He is quite lonely, I also feel like that, but I got used e_e" anyway. I'd like to know if you guys have ever read The Catcher in the Rye and if you like Holden :).

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Indeed, I'm still reading the book, I've read 50% of it in one day and it is really goooooood! *___* I can understand Holden so well and I identify myself with him and we both complain a lot! It can sound bad for many people, but we are like that because we are lonely and we suffered in the past, so we fear someone can hurt us and it is a way to protect ourselves. I'm loving the book and mainly Holden. 

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For those who didn't like the book, I recommend an episode of South Park that teases that book a lot! I don't remember the name of the episode, but I think if you google "south park catcher in the rye" you'll possibly find it. 

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I read the book when I was 23 or something and I thought it was a little exagerated: my adolescence was absolutely different from the one Holden had and mine was full of huge adults-problems.. not all that silly complains Holden had. But then I started to work with teenagers and I re-read thw book with a couple of them. And I started seeing the book under a new light: now I can fully understand how you feel, Lenaelric, because it's the same way my younger friends feel.. confused, alone, misunderstood. I treat Holden a lot better, now!

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I'm glad you finally can understand us...but I think that people can understand others better when they pass for the same events. For example, you'll only understand how sad it is to lose a child when you loses yours. You'll think "Now I undertand how people feel when they lose their child...". 

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I actually couldn't stand the book at the time, but I do feel that Holden was totally misunderstood by most readers.  He is in a great deal of pain, and dealing with it in the only way he knows......rebellion.  I believe I like the book a bit better in retrospect to tell the truth. :)

 

I also felt at the time of reading that I wished I'd read it as a young person, reading it in my late 50's was definitely not the best time! :)

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Sometimes having the same experience helps understending people, but I don't think it's always true. You know, adolescence is a peculiar period in which everything seems far bigger and heavier than it realy is. But when you grow up and you start dealing with the ordinary problems of life (and sometimes they are really big issues) you forget how you were in the past and how you felt when you were younger and more confused.

I'm glad you'll learn italian.. if you'll need a help, feel free to ask! And if you want to talk about anything else, you know where to find me. ;)

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