Jason Taylor - A British Holden Caulfield?
"Great Britain's Catcher in the Rye - and another triumph or one of the present age's most interesting and accomplished novelists"
- Kirkus Reviews (End Cover of Black Swan Green)
Throughout Mitchell's Black Swan Green, I noticed some similarities between Black Swan Green and The Catcher in the Rye, besides the fact that both stories are centered around teenage boys trying to make sense of themselves and the world, and the fact that they're both coming of age novels, I noticed that both characters ended up having some other things in common. I primarily noticed this in the way that the lack of acceptance plays a role in both characters, whether it is upon the characters by themselves or not being accepting to others. I also noticed that both characters eventually develop an interest in isolating themselves from the rest of society, primarily for the reason of not having to interact with other people. (Each one having a separate reason for avoiding others.)
I notice that both characters share a lack of acceptance for something within themselves. Throughout Catcher in the Rye, we see Holden constantly criticize many aspects of society and life as an adult. He doesn't seem to want to accept the fact that he may grow up to become one of the "phonies" he so often judges. Through the entirety of Black Swan Green, we see Jason experience a lack of acceptance for his stammer. He often pushes himself to prevent his classmates from finding out about it by filtering out possible "stammer-words". This being done until his stammer is discovered by his class, or it is confirmed that he has a stammer (Mitchell 197) Both characters are failing to accept something that could possibly be an inevitable aspect of their lives. In the story, Holden could just mature and grow up like everyone else, and Jason may continue his life without mastering the struggle against his stammer. Perhaps this lack of "self-acceptance" is something present in other coming of age books, because I've seen similar aspects in The Bell Jar and Fun Home. (At least it's there in the ones we've read this year.)
In fact, I noticed this previous point on the lack of "self-acceptance" links to the other big similarity of the characters in a way. The trait of sought isolation, which is something both Holden and Jason share, is almost fueled by this previous point. Holden Caulfield first mentions this when he thinks about moving away and living in a house in the woods, while working at a gas station and pretending to be deaf-mute. These thoughts emerge because of his desire to avoid people he dislikes. We can see Jason Taylor have similar ideas when he has the revelation that he wishes to become a forester, that way he wouldn't have to think about what to say, or worry about his stammer and people making fun of it. We can see that the aspect of themselves that the characters can't accept is what fuels them to grow this idea of self isolation.
Hi Samuel, great blog you got there. Although I feel like at least one blog for every book we read draws comparisons between the main character and Holden Caulfield, I think you did an exceptional job at it. I really like how you try to dig in deeper to analyze similarities and differences between these two distinct characters and their coming of age story. Great blog!
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ReplyDeleteHey Samuel! I want to start off by commending your connection between Jason and Holden Caulfield through the lens of self acceptance and how that shapes their behavior. The idea that their desire for isolation actually grows out of what they cannot accept about themselves feels really thoughtful, and it made me wonder if their isolation is more of a defense mechanism than a true desire to be alone. Also, I liked the quote to start off the blog post, it really caught my attention! Overall, this was such a juicy, thought-provoking blog post!
ReplyDeleteThis draws a really effective comparison between Jason Taylor and Holden Caulfield. Both characters are thoughtful, have an interest in literature, and struggle to fit in among their peers. In addition, both come from novels which their authors consider to be semi autobiographical
ReplyDeleteHi Samuel, nice blog! I too saw a lot of similarities between Holden and Jason. They both have a type of disillusionment with their current situation and the typical structures of society. For Jason that is the social structure, and for Holden that is the idea of becoming an adult. You also mentioned that lack of "self-acceptance" is a common theme among many of our books and I totally agree! Part of most people's coming of age is the idea of not knowing where you fit into the world.
ReplyDeleteHi Samuel! You draw a really interesting connection between Jason and Holden that I hadn't previously considered. I think your point about their sought isolation is especially compelling. Though, as you mentioned, one important distinction between the two is that Jason desires to isolate himself because he gets bullied and lacks self-acceptance, while Holden dreams about isolating himself because he generally distrusts and dislikes most people. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Samuel! This was a really good connection that you made! I didn't realize that there were so many subtle crossovers between Holden and Jason because it seemed like Holden's story was more cohesive but you made some good points. Both of them have these opposite views of their society and how they are different from it but the whole novel is based around how they overcome that. I think it is also great that you mentioned both their avoidance to "self respect" in the book because that was the main "driver" of the plot. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Samuel, you did a great job with highlighting the similarities between Jason and Holden. I agree that their views on acceptance are somewhat similar, but I find that the key difference is that Holden was completely obsessed with making sure he wasn't a phony, and that Jason took a while to understand that he didn't need to try and fit in perfectly. Great job!
ReplyDeleteIf you went through the YA shelf at Barnes and Noble and looked at the back cover blurbs of books narrated by angsty teenage boys, I guarantee you'll see a vast number of comparisons to _The Catcher in the Rye_--it's a great way to try to sell a new book, to say it's "this generation's Holden Caulfield," and it's true that Salinger's narrator has had an enormous influence on the depictions of teenagers as narrators in fiction.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I think there are indeed good points of comparison in the case of _Black Swan Green_, and I'd start by saying that both books have uniquely compelling, funny, engaging *narrators* who tend to speak to the reader as if we are their friend and confidant. There's a remarkable degree of trust established between narrator and reader, and I keep reminding everyone as we work through _BSG_ how much WE know about Jason that *no one else in his life has any idea about*.
The biggest difference, in my mind, has to do with their respective degrees of confidence: Jason is still under the influence and sway of the kids he's desperate to impress, while Holden feels like he's seen it all, has figured out the whole game, and if you want to know the truth, most of these phonies aren't even worth impressing in the first place. But when it comes down to it, they both indulge in fantasies of escape to a place where they don't have to care about these peers, and where they don't have to impress anyone. Jason wanting to be a forester in France (which he seems to think will mean that he gets to walk around alone in forests all day, which maybe it does!) definitely has echoes of Holden in his "cabin." There is this frustration with the incessant demands of forging a social identity, of being a person in the world among other people, and the idea of leaving it all behind appeals to both of them.
Hi Samuel! Nice blog, I like how you were able to effectively add detail into the similarities between Holden and Jason. Although I never personally felt that similar connection between both books, the way you explained it helped to give me a new perspective. Great job!
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