I have a new favourite fictitious character! Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye. The book, to put in Holden’s words ‘killed me’. I had always heard about it but never ended up reading it because someone told me your mind has to be ‘developed’ enough to actually appreciate it. And boy, did I appreciate it or what! (Okay, I think I’m under the influence of Holden’s manner of speaking :P)
It was such a pleasure reading the book, I almost read it in a day and felt that it got over too soon. It was written as a narrative by Holden, who is this crazy little kid. A seventeen year old who flunks out of school for probably the third time and who thinks the world is full of ‘phonies’ and ‘corny people’ and mostly everything about his school and his friends ‘depresses’ him. The language used in the book is probably one of the strongest reasons why it is so famous and why it started this cult of young rebellions. It is brutally honest, has a predominant usage of swear words, is extremely human and it feels like you actually live inside his head for a span of three to four odd days and see how feverishly it functions.
Poor little Holden. He is just confused and has his own set of problems and insecurities. Although he comes across as a cynical chap, in fact, he is soft hearted and curious about a lot of seemingly insignificant, but delicate things. And the way he describes his relationship with his sister and his childhood friend. Man! It’s as if you’re actually listening to an adolescent talk about his life, you know? He is this innocent, bemused student who doesn’t understand a lot of things and why some people behave the way they do and is probably going through a rough patch in his life and he gets all these crazy ideas in his head. He literally wanted to be a ‘catcher’ in the rye. I thought that was adorable.
I loved the ending, where he just watches his sister on the carousel going round and round. It was so open and honest. I will probably read the book again, after a few months. Definitely one of the best books I’ve read lately! Yips!
Just catching up on a few more things: This is my last semester! Last!! It’s delightfully cold and appropriately sunny enough every day. The kind when it your hands are too frozen to makes notes in class in the first lecture. We have really good teachers this time. And good subjects and interesting projects to work on.
I’ve had what can be described as the most amazing, surreal start of 2011. Oh, Happy New year! 😀 I don’t really get why a new year is supposed to be a big deal though. I mean, sure, it feels nice to write a new date on the exam answer sheets for a change. But then, it does bring a lot of positivity with it, doesn’t it? New promises, resolutions, dreams. A fresh start.
New year’s for me this time involved a road trip to Delhi, (with some of my closest peeps) stopping to have tempting parathas on the way, eating and dancing with family and friends, lighting night sky lanterns at 12, swinging on tiny swings like kids while singing “I’m with you” (by Avril Lavigne), standing in the balcony in the chilly breeze, clicking the cutest of pictures together, meeting En (I’m thrilled about that actually!), running around in the rain and reaching a pub all damp and trembling and looking like wet chickens, eating with chopsticks and sinking teeth into delicious doughnuts, cracking ‘that’s-what-she-saids’, more dancing and just plain ol’ horsing around. And believe me, this is not even HALF of it. I wish I could mention everything! I really do! Oh, this so does not justify what New year’s was like. Sigh, but I guess you’ll have to make do with this much, for now.
There is a lot of stuff going on. Nothing major, but just stuff that might lead up to something major. I’m excited! Yes I am! Too excited I guess, it’s 4 in the morning for Christ’s sake! What’s the matter with me?
I’ll hop for now. But I’ll be back. Very soon 🙂
Butterflies and Hurricanes 
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