The Classics discussion

Huzzah! After a long and frustrating 3 week search I have finally obtained a copy. Chapters are divided in four parts for the four weeks of February.

Holden Caufield is a walking contradiction. He hates phonies, managing to name quite a few that he knows or knows of and yet he lies constantly to everybody.

As well, he claims to be illiterate and from his dialogue and diction you might come to the same conclusion but he's read a variety of classics. From Thomas Hardy's "Return of the Native" to Dickens' "David Copperfield".

Normally I'm not a big fan of first person narrative because it can make the story itself stale but here it works. Salinger has given Caufield such a distinct and original voice that we don't mind when he goes on about what he sees. We're given a clear view of the setting without getting bogged down in awkward description from the protagonist.

I agree about the first person, but I'm finding his voice to be a little annoying. I'm struggling to get into this one, but I am only around chapter 7 right now.

I felt the same way at first. His voice is somewhat grating but I think that's how we're supposed to feel. It's true to a teenager.

I'm with Sadie on this one, although I didn't have the stamina and patience to get to Chapter7. Normally, unappealing and contradictory narrators draw me into a novel - and i have taught teenagers without losing my rag so it can't be that - but he is something else. Don't think I've ever given up on a book so quickly.

I read Catcher in the Rye quite recently. I couldn't quite bring myself to re-read it for this month, unfortunately. I'd expected to find a beaten-down, cynical teenager fed up with the world's harsh realities and reeling against the disillusionment...which, in a sense, I suppose it is that. That part sort of got watered down and forgotten by that whining, contradicting 'woe is me' poor-little-rich-kid narrative. It's supposed to be 'the' book on teenage angst. I'm 18 now, and God forbid I was ever that annoying! No wonder people have such a view of young people; Holden's not a great poster boy.