It says, "The mark of an immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for a cause." (188)
I was asked whether I would recommend Catcher in the Rye, or not. I'm trying to decide whether I can recommend this book with a clear conscience or not.
There IS a lot lot lot of swearing. And a whole lot of sexual innuendos/desires etc. You are at least saved any depiction of the act.
I'm going to tell a story instead of recommending it or not....
Once upon a time I was to read Grapes of Wrath. I couldn't get past the swearing. I didn't/couldn't read it.
Not too long ago I was able to read Catcher in the Rye, Breaking Dawn and another book I still have to talk about, that have varying levels of swearing/crude behavior and/or 'intimate relations.'
I don't know if my levels of spirituality were different at the different times, if I've become desensitized to things that I shouldn't be desensitized to, I'm not sure.
I do know that in many passages I did not spend much time in, and other times I reread sections to try and understand everything that is going on.
In support of reading good books, no matter what, is yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom
So, the question is can we define a book as the best? How are we to judge if something is best for us, and that we will be able to dig through the muck, and find words of wisdom?
Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is aevil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.
For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.
For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.
But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him. Moroni 7:14-17
I still think that these individual judgements are just that - individual.
Personally, at the time that I read Catcher in the Rye, I was able to find words of wisdom within (we're assuming that I haven't become too desensitized), and not dwell on the dirtier elements. I know this won't always be the case at a different times in my life. But, at the same time, I could learn similar lessons, but in a different manner from another book.
What do you all think? I know many of you have experience from class where you probably had to read borderline books. What did you do, and how did you deal with things that very well could have been, or possibly were offensive? All advice is wanted!
For those who want more than philosophizing!
Nitty gritty details specifically about Catcher: If I were to rate the book, I'd definitely give it a PG13 rating for inordinate amounts of swearing, and sexuality by a 16 year old boy. Oh, and underage drinking and smoking. Possible instance of attempted pedophilia. The tone, too, is fairly depressing.
You can see why this is a book on the banned books list quite often, but it is also on lists for being taught quite often, too!
If you want more details, such as which words are used more often, etc. etc., let me know, and I can give you an even more specific idea of the book.
3 comments:
You took the words right out of my finger tips. I just read "The Glass Castle" and had to think the same thoughts.
My senior year in high school I refused to read a "Brave New World" because the class discussion seemed to support the world that Huxley was warning us against, and I wasn't at a stage in my life where I could defend my own thoughts. My teacher, who liked me a whole lot, said, "Okay, write your essay on why you refuse to finish the book." So I did, and I think at the time I had to do it that way. (And I got an A on the essay.) But, I keep thinking I'm ready to finish it now.
I read Glass Castle quickly because I needed to get to the end so it could resolve, like how you have to finish the horror movie even though you are regretting ever second of it. The lesson of the book is children are rezealant (I have no idea how to spell that). But the things this little girl lived through are horrifying, when she was three she was cooking hot dogs for her self and was severally burn, when she was 10 she was raped by a neighborhood kid, her parents refused to provide food for the family nursing their own addictions instead, page after page was some grotesque event. It made me want to be a better parent, to make sure that the bad things that happen in my son's life have nothing to do with me, that I am aware of him, and that he doesn't have to face things grown-ups shouldn't even have to face. For that reason I needed to read it.
But, I don't know if I could tell other people to read it. The writing was astounding, and the approach to telling her story was beautiful, although it was an ugly life. But the whole time I was reading I wished I could stop, so I wouldn't have the picture of her and her siblings suffering like they did.
I think a lot of it has to do with the capacity to internalize and learn from the literature. You can't never read Screwtape, but you shouldn't read it before you can understand it. You have to make sure that you (or the person you are suggesting it to) is ready to learn from it, rather than take it as permission to shoot John Lennon, and can you ever really be sure of that?
Thank you for such an in-depth description and philosophizing :)
This subject is so hard...it's such a deep, complex thing. So much art and literature over the years has been deemed inappropriate by the prudes, but necessary by the artistic and the learned...which am I?
I have read many many books with questionable content that I have thoroughly enjoyed. Movies too, for that matter. And music. And if I were into art, it would probably be that too. I grew up reading Orson Scott Card and he is capable of being extremely dirty, crude, and vulgar. It's interesting because Card claims that he just writes "whatever comes into his head" because it's more important for him to be "true" to his writing.
Do you remember the director of God's Army? Richard Dutcher? He started wanting to make R-rated movies and ended up leaving the church. I don't remember the exact quote, but he said something about how the world "doesn't need more Relief Society and Elders Quorum Presidents--there's enough of those. Be true to yourself in your art and make it how you want to" when talking about putting questionable content in his movies.
I don't know the answer. More and more I have stopped watching movies when I know there will be something immoral in them.
Maybe I can say one thing, though. I think that members of the church should know better when they create art-- like I don't agree that Stephenie Meyer should write the way that she does about certain intimate subjects. She knows better. She should be an example to the world-- goodness knows she has a large audience! (I'm reading Breaking Dawn right now...)
So I still want to read Catcher in the Rye I think. Aaah I don't know!
If it's something you're worrying about, I think that means that you're going in with your head on your shoulders, (which is not surprising to me!) and that if it's too much, you'll know when to stop. But in the event it isn't, you'll be able to take the good that is there, and there is a lot of good in the book.
I think you'll be okay!
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