~~[Post 9] - And all ~~

Okay, what do I write about today, really? It’s the ninth day of the blogathon and I am already thinking what else is there to write and all. Let me just type whatever comes to my mind and let’s see where the post goes and all.  So I started reading “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D.Salinger yesterday. It’s about this teenager, Holden, who is weird and lonely, and all. Boy, there is nothing that interests him and all. The book takes you through these wild depressing continuous thought stream of his and all. Everything is crumby and everyone is phony in his thoughts and all. But he is very protective of his sweet little sister Phoebe and he admires his late brother Allie, Really. He also has an elder brother who is a writer and has migrated to Hollywood, but, that’s not important and all, because Holden hates Hollywood and actors and all, of course, because they are phony and all. Boy, he is very concerned about the ducks in the lake of Central park and all. Where do the ducks go during winter when the lake is frozen and all? He asks almost everyone he meets about these ducks and even goes there late in the night to find it out himself and nearly gets himself killed and all, really. He keeps thinking of Jane, a neighbor who he grew up with, but does nothing to pursue much and all, really! He also keeps thinking about old Sally all the time and all. Boy, such a confused soul and all, really.

Now, if you are wondering, what the hell just happened in the previous paragraph, well, it’s not me, I just gave you a glimpse of what is in store if you pick the book “Catcher in the Rye” to read.  That’s exactly how the book’s writing style progresses. And no, I am not making fun of the way the book is written. Because I liked it and tried to imitate it in the first paragraph you just read. Believe me, its not easy to write something like that, when you don’t talk or think so.

So back to the book, it takes a few pages before you realize that you have delved straight into reading a clueless, depressed teenager’s every single thought. He is as confused as a teenager should be, completely directionless about his life, lonely, unhappy about everything around, and gives you this impression that he just doesn’t care about anything. He is unable to relate to anyone and still has liberating outbursts with just about anyone. He suddenly sinks back into a self-introspection mode and ends up having conflicting thoughts about a person, who in a moment he loves, and the next moment, he hates. As he progresses through days, he reaches out to as many people as possible, and also ditches them as soon as he cannot stand them anymore, which, I must say, is just in minutes.  His irritation about everything wrong in the world and his swinging moods is very well represented in the book.  The only time you feel good reading is when he is hopelessly affectionate towards his younger sister Phoebe and in his absolute adoration of his late brother Allie. The section of the book involving Phoebe is quite a treat to read and her unbiased affection is about the only thing that saves him from taking any drastic steps in his rather confused state of mind. Even though the repetitive usage of “and all”, “Boy”, “Really” in almost each sentence and usage of slang irritated me for a while, it did help drive home the point that I am reading a teenager’s train of thoughts, in the brink of losing his innocence, in search of something he doesn’t even know, but he wants to get there somehow.

As a reader, you know, he is in an attempt of getting out of his loneliness, seeking affection, though he never really openly admits it, you know, he is looking for the warmth a conversation provides to a lonely soul, but try as he might, he doesn’t feel the warmth or love from anyone, and that frustrates him like a mad man. Towards the end of the book, I just wanted to hold this Holden person, look him in the eye and tell him, boy, just lock these confusing thoughts up and throw away the key, quit smoking, breathe, go hug your parents, spend some time with Phoebe, get some sleep and you will see, world is not such a phony and crumby place as you believe it to be, really!

Overall, the book made me just very very very sad, because I do know, there are teenagers out there, who live in a similar dilemma, lonely in life, unsure about self, painfully dragging each day amidst who they think are phony people. All I wish for such confused souls, is a little sister Phoebe who can help them see life as beautiful as it is.