I finally watched the J.D. Salinger documentary film. I still love his work despite the fact that he was a terrible husband & father. I'm even angry & sad because the film confirmed my suspicions: he's a pedophile. However, I'm still looking forward to reading his post-humous work. I gotta admit, there's much to be admired about his dedication & how he manages to communicate revelatory insights. But A. & I agreed on one thing: You can be a good artist without being an asshole. So if you're going to be "a great writer," don't do it at the expense of others, especially your loved ones.
Some of my favorite Salinger stories:
- For Esme--With Love & Squalor
- Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut
- De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period
- Teddy
- Franny & Zooey
- The Catcher in the Rye
Some of my favorite quotes:
From "Teddy"
"I have a very strong affinity for them... but they don't love us that way. I mean they don't seem able to love us unless they change us a little bit."
-Teddy's response when asked if he loved his parents
From "Seymour, An Introduction"
"Could you try not aiming so much? If you hit him when you aim, it'll just be luck.
"How can it be luck if I aim?"
No comments:
Post a Comment