Hopeless Tribute: The Catcher in the Rye
So I know I’m not pictured here. In my underwear. And I know that these are not photos of guns, knives, Guitar Hero controllers, and other things you may expect to see in photos (at least if you’ve been a Bloglin reader for a while).
But, well, this is the kind of thing I take photos of. I am addicted to collecting photos. And I am addicted to thinking about collecting copies of The Catcher in the Rye. So I have started my own little hybrid collection: Photos AND Actual Copies of The Catcher in the Rye.
I have been doing this for 2 or 3 years, and in fact, I had a great time looking for copies of this book in Japan. I found 3. It is officially universal.
More than anything else, this book taught me that it’s ok to type how you talk. I know that’s a bit of a ‘hiding in plain sight’ concept, but if you read your average email out loud, you realize that it sounds pretty square. Catcher showed me that people communicate through grammar and tone, and, well, I am forever grateful.
I have gotten several emails so far (from people who know of my little collection-within-a-collection) and I’ve been happy to tell them that I’m not sad at all for Mr. Salinger. I’ve never taken the time to really try and dive-deep into his mythos; I’ve always been content to let him stay mysterious in my mind. Seems like he wanted his peace more than anything, and I’m bittersweetly happy for him that he (hopefully) has it now.
And yes, I concur with Mars, Oh Mars: If you can hear us—be you on high or down low—please buy a guy a drink. He earned it.
RIP
- Hateball
January 28th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
I love Salinger, Franny & Zooey was my favorite book of his. I do however love how different catcher in the Rye is when you read it in high school, college and then in your mid-late 20s. Anytime I’ve ever overheard and discussion about it I’ve come to realize that it’s not only one of the most known books of the 20th century but also one of the most misinterpreted.
January 28th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
As someone who constantly and consistently assumes that his own interpretation of whatever is biased, unfounded, and incorrect, I would love to read a handful of sentences regarding your interpretation of this fantastic book.
I love it in the following, prioritized ways: Aesthetically, Existentially, Historically, and Fictionally (for more on this last, see “Conspiracy Theory”.
January 28th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Oh I’m not talking about interpretation.. more about how many people out there who read the book and see Holden Caufield as some hero or someone to look up to. He isn’t, he’s one of the saddest characters that I’ve read in my meager library of books.
Have you actually ever seen Igby Goes Down? It was as good and as accurate to what a “Catcher in the Rye” film should/would have been like.
January 28th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
I haven’t, but I’ll netflix it and see to see. My feelings on Holden Caulfield are not that he’s a hero in the ‘look up to me’ sort of way…it’s more in that (your word) sad, cosmically alone, and ultimately relatable way.
But I’ve been known to aggrandize my galactic vagabond status, so I’m sure that’s just me.
Either way, my relationship with books like this (as well as Lord of the Flies and The Outsiders) is very much tied up in your remarks about High School > College > 20s > Etc. I wish–so much!–that I would have pulled my head outta my ass and loved these things earlier in life. I feel like they’re roadmaps that I ignored until I didn’t need them, in spite of my struggles.