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| Perhaps it would easier for Holden if we all looked like this. |
At the beginning of chapter 13, Holden walks down the cold streets of New York, talking about his gloves and about how much he wishes that he'd found the rat at Pencey who'd stolen them. He proceeds to admit that he would not have gotten physical with whomever had stolen them, but would have only intimidated them. After describing what the incident would have looked like, he tells us that he doesn't like fist fights. He doesn't, however, appear to have as big of a problem with pushing someone out a window or chopping off their heads with an axe. The problem with fist-fighting, according to him, is seeing someone's face. He even states that 'it wouldn't be so bad if you could both be blindfolded or something' (page 90). I think that Holden's problem isn't with seeing someone's face, but rather realizing he's hitting someone else, seeing fear or anger in their faces. Maybe the reason he's afraid of other's feelings is because he doesn't understand them all that well because he's afraid to share his own. Why do
you think Holden is so uncomfortable with seeing people's faces during a fight? Would you feel more uncomfortable with fist-fighting or with pushing someone out a window? Why do you feel this way? Do you think Holden is uncomfortable with his own feeling? Why or why not?
I think Holden is afraid of seeing people’s faces during a fight is because is that he is subconsciously afraid of their facial expressions activating one of the emotions he had buried. I think Holden knows that he hides and masks his feelings, but at the same time, he makes excuses for why he does that. Holden knows that when people are in fights, they may feel fear, anger, rage, or some type of other emotion. I think he is scared that seeing one of those emotions on one of their faces would cause one of those emotions in him to resurface, and thus, he would have to relive the moment. I think it would actually be healthy for Holden to relieve the moments that cause his emotions so that he deals with them, and finally gets over those experiences. I would feel more comfortable with fist fighting. I would feel more comfortable fist fighting because there is far less a chance of someone receiving fatal injuries. While I am not a pacifist, I try to avoid unnecessary conflict, especially physical, because there will always be negative effects from conflict. If I were to push someone out of a window, they would die immediately and I do not think that I could ever forgive myself for performing such a terrible action. I think Holden is uncomfortable with his own feelings because he does not know how to deal with them. At the same time, Holden never even tries to deal with his feelings, rather he just hides him, and thus he can never learn how to properly deal with them. Either Holden snapping or Holden gaining enough will power to finally deal with his internal, conflict and emotions can only stop this loop.
ReplyDeleteI think part of the reason Holden is so uncomfortable with fist fights is because a fist fight involves a more direct type of confrontation then pushing a guy out the window or chopping his head off with an ax. I also believe that Holden would actually not be able to do any of the things, and his talk of ax murdering is used as an excuse to justify his “yellowness.” Holden himself says in chapter 6 “I’m a pacifist, if you want to know the truth.” This is right after Holden’s fight with Stradlater, one provoked out of his emotions for Jane, not a petty thief who stole his gloves. Only in situations like these where Holden is experiencing inexplicable emotional turmoil does he resort to violence, such as when he broke all the windows in the garage after Allie died. Most of the time though, such as in the hypothetical situation Holden creates while walking down the street in New York, Holden prefers not to engage in conflict, demonstrating his tendency to want to keep things as clean and pure as possible.
ReplyDeleteI think Holden doesn't like seeing their faces, because he doesn't like knowing that he's the one causing the damage to their face. I think he's uncomfortable with it because he doesn't like using his anger to physically destroy things. Kind of like when he had his snowball earlier in the book, and he chose not to throw it at anything because he didn't want to mess anything up that was covered in the pretty snow. Personally, I wouldn't push someone out of a window, because pushing someone out of a window is bound to have way worse consequences than a punch to the face. I would be afraid of ending someone's life by doing that, and that would be a bad situation to be in. I think he's uncomfortable with his own feelings, because though we all know it's good not to want to fight people, he might see it as a potential weakness with any future confrontations he might have in the adult world.
ReplyDeleteI think that Holden's fear of seeing someones face during a fight is directly related to his inability to have normal confrontation at all. His feelings and issues with explaining or even admitting that something is wrong is where most of his depression derives from. The fact that he could possibly see these same issues in someone else's eyes scares him. If he can't even deal with is own problems, he definitely can't accept other peoples. I think this is maybe the main reason why he has such a big issue with seeing peoples faces when he fights them. Earlier in chapter 14, Holden describes his issue with suicide and rubbernecks seeing him all gory. This has to do with his issue and desire for purity in the world. Seeing someones face gory, unnatural, and maybe even impure could be another reason why he hates physical confrontation when you can see their face. In my opinion, punching someone is way less harmful than pushing someone out a window. I would probably pick to have a fist fight over chopping a persons head off with an axe because it causes less physical and even mental damage. I definitely feel like Holden is uncomfortable with is own feelings because this is where all of his issues come from; not knowing how to handle his own emotions or opinions. He can't seem to decide what to do, who he is, what he feels, or even why he feels this way. Let alone is he able to share this with anyone else.
ReplyDeleteI think Holden does not want to see other people's faces during a fight because it might activate one of his emotions that he has been hiding. Readers know that Holden has a problem sharing his feelings and does not know how to ask for help. This is the reason why he does not like to see people's face during a fist fight. I would feel more uncomfortable fist-fighting someone than pushing someone out of a window. When you punch someone you not only hurt them but you hurt yourself because your hand hits their face bones so hard that it hurts you. Also, I can not see someones eyes in pain. Eyes give away someones emotions really easily. It is really hard for me to see someone else in pain. Yes, I do believe that Holden is uncomfortable with his own feelings. He can't even say his own feelings, so of course he has trouble dealing with his feelings.
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