How important is humor in this story? What does this imply about Salinger’s view of the human condition?
4 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Humour is notably vital to the story. Holden's thoughts are repetitive but the comedy keeps the story alive and entertaining. Humour is a tactic used to disguise feelings of unhappiness. The Catcher in the Rye is truly a depressing story that is outshined by the happiness in the humour it conveys. The way Salinger includes his quirky wit, explains he shows sympathy in a different manner. He believes frail human conditions should be taken lightly especially as he shows the condition during the stage of awkward adolescence when it is easy to mock. Low points are just phases that everyone passes through in life and eventually everyone overcomes them. Knowing that you’ll overcome it, Salinger sees that one should make light of the situation and laugh it up. He views the human condition as repetitive and predictable therefore, it should not be taken as seriously as it is portrayed. Although he is fully aware how fragile and significant human condition is, the humour helps to point out the importance of it in an engaging approach. The Catcher in the Rye is not meant to depress its audience but to make them aware of the human condition and how natural it is. Wow, I don't even know what I just wrote or if that makes sense. I'm tired. Goodnight(=
Blog #3 Humor, in the past chapters of, The Catcher In The Rye, has been important because, without it, bad situations that present themselves could have turned worse. In my opinion, this implies that Salinger’s view towards the human condition is understanding. During these last passages, Holden has found himself involved in a few predicaments that, if not looked at with humor, could have turned slightly more dangerous. I love the fact that this novel is easy to relate to, but more is that when the main character Holden gets really caught up in an emotion, such as frustration, his reaction mirrors my own. Holden, referring to himself as a, “yellow,” character, name calling instead of using physical violence is what I think causes his emotional chaos. The language Salinger uses to describe these moods of frustration and yellowness is exactly that, which an actual person would use. In this sense you can see how understanding Salinger is of the human condition. He comprehends that not everything should be taken so seriously and that life is to short to stay mad. The positions Holden gets caught in are pretty serious, and if he had reacted in a different manner, the book could have been over, with a bang. Again, Humor and Salingers understanding are exaggerated to show how a difficult situation can be looked at with a lighter perspective. (Yours sounds good Meliss Night Night and I hope mine isn’t a mess either! Sleep tight everyone!)
Humor completely consumes the Catcher and the Rye. The importance of it is so high that without this humor I don’t believe the story could be as well done, have the same impact and/or even the interest that it does. Holden talks in an extremely informal way. This is what ads to the humor of the book. We see the world from his perspective, and as a growing teenaged boy, that is bound to bring up some hilarity. I think that Salinger’s also saw this perspective as one that would ad to the interest of the book and that is why I see him using it. By using humor the way he does, Salinger shows that not everything in life has to be serious. Holden is going through some fairly grim situations, but is still carrying along with relative joking ease. It would be difficult to see a growing boy go through terrible situations in a somber attitude and that’s why Salinger is adding humor. Lessons are still being taught through the book but done in an interesting manor; therefore the importance of this humor is extremely vast.
Without humour, The Catcher In The Rye would not have the same narative effect. Like everyone else has stated, humour is the underlying key to make this story so charming when casted in such a depressing light. With Salinger's ablility to mesh humour with depression, it sheds like on how the human condition is always mixed with several states of emotion. By telling the story through Holden, we are able to grasp onto his personality realizing he could very well be anyone of our peers because what he goes through, hilarities and all, well.. maybe not the "lady of the night", but anyways he goes through many of the same things a number of us have had to endure to a certain degree. By making the character so relatable, Salinger shows the reader that its okay to take the good with the bad, and visa versa. To live our lifes in just one generic emotion would be in such a robotic state that excellently exicuted storylines such as this one would be lost. So, I am pretty much pooped, hope it makes some sense.. see you all tomorrow!
4 comments:
Humour is notably vital to the story. Holden's thoughts are repetitive but the comedy keeps the story alive and entertaining. Humour is a tactic used to disguise feelings of unhappiness. The Catcher in the Rye is truly a depressing story that is outshined by the happiness in the humour it conveys. The way Salinger includes his quirky wit, explains he shows sympathy in a different manner. He believes frail human conditions should be taken lightly especially as he shows the condition during the stage of awkward adolescence when it is easy to mock. Low points are just phases that everyone passes through in life and eventually everyone overcomes them. Knowing that you’ll overcome it, Salinger sees that one should make light of the situation and laugh it up. He views the human condition as repetitive and predictable therefore, it should not be taken as seriously as it is portrayed. Although he is fully aware how fragile and significant human condition is, the humour helps to point out the importance of it in an engaging approach. The Catcher in the Rye is not meant to depress its audience but to make them aware of the human condition and how natural it is. Wow, I don't even know what I just wrote or if that makes sense. I'm tired. Goodnight(=
Blog #3
Humor, in the past chapters of, The Catcher In The Rye, has been important because, without it, bad situations that present themselves could have turned worse. In my opinion, this implies that Salinger’s view towards the human condition is understanding. During these last passages, Holden has found himself involved in a few predicaments that, if not looked at with humor, could have turned slightly more dangerous. I love the fact that this novel is easy to relate to, but more is that when the main character Holden gets really caught up in an emotion, such as frustration, his reaction mirrors my own. Holden, referring to himself as a, “yellow,” character, name calling instead of using physical violence is what I think causes his emotional chaos. The language Salinger uses to describe these moods of frustration and yellowness is exactly that, which an actual person would use. In this sense you can see how understanding Salinger is of the human condition. He comprehends that not everything should be taken so seriously and that life is to short to stay mad. The positions Holden gets caught in are pretty serious, and if he had reacted in a different manner, the book could have been over, with a bang. Again, Humor and Salingers understanding are exaggerated to show how a difficult situation can be looked at with a lighter perspective. (Yours sounds good Meliss Night Night and I hope mine isn’t a mess either! Sleep tight everyone!)
Humor completely consumes the Catcher and the Rye. The importance of it is so high that without this humor I don’t believe the story could be as well done, have the same impact and/or even the interest that it does. Holden talks in an extremely informal way. This is what ads to the humor of the book. We see the world from his perspective, and as a growing teenaged boy, that is bound to bring up some hilarity. I think that Salinger’s also saw this perspective as one that would ad to the interest of the book and that is why I see him using it. By using humor the way he does, Salinger shows that not everything in life has to be serious. Holden is going through some fairly grim situations, but is still carrying along with relative joking ease. It would be difficult to see a growing boy go through terrible situations in a somber attitude and that’s why Salinger is adding humor. Lessons are still being taught through the book but done in an interesting manor; therefore the importance of this humor is extremely vast.
Without humour, The Catcher In The Rye would not have the same narative effect. Like everyone else has stated, humour is the underlying key to make this story so charming when casted in such a depressing light. With Salinger's ablility to mesh humour with depression, it sheds like on how the human condition is always mixed with several states of emotion. By telling the story through Holden, we are able to grasp onto his personality realizing he could very well be anyone of our peers because what he goes through, hilarities and all, well.. maybe not the "lady of the night", but anyways he goes through many of the same things a number of us have had to endure to a certain degree. By making the character so relatable, Salinger shows the reader that its okay to take the good with the bad, and visa versa. To live our lifes in just one generic emotion would be in such a robotic state that excellently exicuted storylines such as this one would be lost. So, I am pretty much pooped, hope it makes some sense.. see you all tomorrow!
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