Tuesday, January 10, 2012
UMan = Holden Caulfield
I think that the title explains my thoughts well enough, but just in case it doesn't, I think that UMan and Holden Caulfield from J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye share some common traits. They're both obviously "different" human beings. They are reclusive, pensive, and solitary. They both philosophize and over-think situations. They share a search for fulfilling human connection. Of course they're different as well. Holden is not quite as paranoid. He's also wittier, and a little more sociable. He is clearly capable of love to as that is demonstrated through his relationship with his younger sister. He represents an angsty lost teenager more than UMan ever could. UMan is too neurotic and obsessive. Anyone else see it?
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2 comments:
Holden's more of a person, I think, the style is similar though. The style of Notes is pretty similar to Catcher; it's first person w/ an unreliable narrator telling a story of one or a few particular psycologiacal trails in their life. Both narrators ramble and seem to like rambling. Both narrators contradict themselves sometimes. Both narrators speak in vernacular directly to their "reader" which both narrators anticipate - like when Holden intentionally leaves out stuff about his parents because he's writing this for himself yet at the same time anticipating a reader.
I agree that Holden and underground man are very similar. They both are seeking to escape but as we discussed in class, Holden is capable of love while underground man is not. Anytime underground man gets even close to love or a relationship, such as his old high schools friends or Liza, he just rejects them. The narrators are similar too, both are unreliable and only talk in their perspective
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