first impressions

i'm actually really impressed with this book so far. though technically, it's my second impression, not the first. i tried reading it last summer, because i heard it was really good, but i don't know if it was because i have the attention span of a goldfish or what- i just couldn't get into it. it seemed like just another kid complaining about how life was rough and blah, blah, blah. but i figure j.d. salinger did alright with this book. (so far.)

i thought it was interesting to start out talking about how he was flunking out of school, and it wasn't the first time. usually books try to seem appealing, so as to get your attention at first, but this one kind of just cut to the chase. which i like. no use beating around the bush, really.

and i guess i could kind of see how he's still a smart kid even though his grades aren't tops. he does well in english because it interests him- i could empathize with that. i always seem to do better in things that interest me more, too. (again, probably the short attention span.)

i really liked the quote, "i told him i wasn't going to chuck it at anybody, but he wouldn't believe me. people never believe you." i don't know, something about it just made me feel connected to that, like it made sense or something. who knows. but when i read it, it kind of made me wonder what this kid had been through to feel like nobody really believed him.

i guess reading past the first chapter, i liked how you could connect more to holden by going through his experiences, because he doensn't really give much background or talk about his childhood in the beginning. another way to connect with him.