Alright, so obviously he shoots the around with Ernest's mom on the train. You know, he's never gonna see her again, never gonna see Ernest again either. So why not? S'better than talking about how much of a jerk Ernest is, or even worse, just sitting there with nothing to talk about. It's more fun, anyway. I hate to try and out myself on the same level as Holden, but I do the same thing. If it's people you rarely see, if it's people you'll never see again, what's stopping you from shooting the crap?
Tech conference last thursday: Interviewed by the paper, you gotta make what you're doing seem cutting edge, larger than life. Started talking about "real-time animation" and "built in physics engine", both things which pretty much mean nothing as they're built in to the original program we use. But if it sounds good and it gets you in the paper, why not? One of my favorite times was going parasailing with these two girls down in florida, told them I was from Nebraska and this was my first time ever off the farm.
Anyway. I'm kind of having way too hard of a time finding a bit where he shoots the crap with us. I think it's because I trust him way too much, which probably isn't good when you're reading this book. I think the parts where he over-exaggerates the most are the parts when he talks about Jane. Seems like he wants there to be a lot more romantic tension there when there really wasn't much. Least not on Jane's part, anyway. I think half of it's just to reassure himself that she definitely did not get with Stradlater, you know? Like she's too good for that, or he knows her really well and she'd never do something like that, or something like that.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Catcher in the Rye: Allie's Baseball Glove
In many ways, I feel like I can relate to Holden. Thing is though, I don't think I've ever experienced death the way he has.
You can tell Allie was a person very near and dear to Holden's heart, and it's funny in a bit of a sad way how the only way he can really talk about it is through that kind of detached, unemotional commentary he talks in throughout the book so far. Like "yeah, I kinda broke all the windows in the garage, pretty stupid huh." He really does care. Now, is this the reason he gets annoyed by everyone and everything? That's a little harder to say.
Anyway, yeah, I've never really experienced grief in that big way. I've had a lot of pets die, and sometimes that can be tough (especially when you accidentally kill them yourself, jeez) but nothing can really compare to losing a sibling, especially when you seem close like it seems like Allie and Holden were. You shouldn't even try to compare, it's kind if a sacred thing. You know, like I shouldn't even get to talk about it.
One thing I definitely relate to, though, is Holden's choice of the baseball glove over writing about a room or something. When you're writing, even if it is for school, you wanna write about something you feel invested in or something that interests you, and it's good to have teachers that get that too. Of course, if you keep writing something different every time and it just gets pretentious or preachy, you're trying too hard.
You can tell Allie was a person very near and dear to Holden's heart, and it's funny in a bit of a sad way how the only way he can really talk about it is through that kind of detached, unemotional commentary he talks in throughout the book so far. Like "yeah, I kinda broke all the windows in the garage, pretty stupid huh." He really does care. Now, is this the reason he gets annoyed by everyone and everything? That's a little harder to say.
Anyway, yeah, I've never really experienced grief in that big way. I've had a lot of pets die, and sometimes that can be tough (especially when you accidentally kill them yourself, jeez) but nothing can really compare to losing a sibling, especially when you seem close like it seems like Allie and Holden were. You shouldn't even try to compare, it's kind if a sacred thing. You know, like I shouldn't even get to talk about it.
One thing I definitely relate to, though, is Holden's choice of the baseball glove over writing about a room or something. When you're writing, even if it is for school, you wanna write about something you feel invested in or something that interests you, and it's good to have teachers that get that too. Of course, if you keep writing something different every time and it just gets pretentious or preachy, you're trying too hard.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Catcher in the Rye: Holden's Expulsion
Although many of the things Holden does aren't things I necessarily would, the core of his personality allows me a very empathetic relationship with him.
The main idea we're given about Holden from these first four chapters seems to be that he has distanced himself from the rest of society: while everyone else is off playing some "game" or just acting nice and genial, he's one of the few who don't adhere to the rules of society. He does sloppy work, is totally unmotivated, and doesn't care at all when he's scolded for these things. His teachers realize he has a lot of potential, but getting him to actually act on that potential is difficult.
While I definitely have a bit more of a work ethic than Holden, I feel like I never really try my best at much, and I don't really care about that. These days I'm starting to get a little more scared about my future and what will come from my laziness though; something Holden doesn't seem concerned about at all at the moment.
Two sections I really enjoyed:
1. Ackley. I was actually laughing out loud at Holden's assessment of his personality: how he would make people say things twice just to sort of tick them off and stuff. For some reason I found that pretty funny.
2. When Stradlater mentions Jane and Holden gets really excited that he might get to see her again, but in the end he's too apathetic, lazy, and under that just too nervous to go talk to her. I think that said the most about Holden's personality as of yet.
All in all I definitely like it so far. I don't know if I should like it as much as do right now, heh. But Holden is definitely an interesting character, and there's gotta be some reason the book's famous, right?
The main idea we're given about Holden from these first four chapters seems to be that he has distanced himself from the rest of society: while everyone else is off playing some "game" or just acting nice and genial, he's one of the few who don't adhere to the rules of society. He does sloppy work, is totally unmotivated, and doesn't care at all when he's scolded for these things. His teachers realize he has a lot of potential, but getting him to actually act on that potential is difficult.
While I definitely have a bit more of a work ethic than Holden, I feel like I never really try my best at much, and I don't really care about that. These days I'm starting to get a little more scared about my future and what will come from my laziness though; something Holden doesn't seem concerned about at all at the moment.
Two sections I really enjoyed:
1. Ackley. I was actually laughing out loud at Holden's assessment of his personality: how he would make people say things twice just to sort of tick them off and stuff. For some reason I found that pretty funny.
2. When Stradlater mentions Jane and Holden gets really excited that he might get to see her again, but in the end he's too apathetic, lazy, and under that just too nervous to go talk to her. I think that said the most about Holden's personality as of yet.
All in all I definitely like it so far. I don't know if I should like it as much as do right now, heh. But Holden is definitely an interesting character, and there's gotta be some reason the book's famous, right?
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