i liked the question about "alienation", so i've chosen to take that one on.
it was: 'describe the feeling of alienation. what does it mean to be alienated or separated from others?'
whenever i would hear things like "illegal aliens" or "alienation" when i was really little, i always thought of your generic, little-green-men-type aliens. but it still makes sense, that an alien is just someone that isn't the same; an outsider. i've felt alienated myself a time or two, i think everyone has. whether they are being excluded or not, everyone has. which is why i think this book is so classic, because people can connect to it in that way. holden kind of seems like he's alienating himself, but i suppose it's because he doesn't want to change who he is in order to become like everyone else. which i can respect. but non-conformity is another story, for another day.
it seems interesting, doesn't it, that people can feel connected to each other, simply because they feel disconnected?
I'm glad you are enjoying the book, Leah! I had the same experience with it the second time through. The issue of conformity is an interesting one in this book, isn't it? Holden is not like Chris McCandless in 'Into the Wild.' Or is he? Does he hate the adult world and the 'games' it involves? He doesn't want to be a 'phony' but can you still conform and stay true to yourself?
ReplyDeleteWhat a complex thought in your last sentence! I twisted that in my mind a few times through! This would be interesting to bring up in a class discussion ;)