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It refers to the the unreliability of his narration. Not that events didn't happen per se, but that he reports them in a biased way. For example, he is rather quick to judge others without discovering their true motives (or even caring), but explains away much of his own faults and errors. This gives a biased view of Holden's situation and it is supposedly Holden using his role as narrator of his story to make himself more sympathetic to his readers.
I see him as a sensitive, caring, confused individual. He lacks the experience in many cases to make allowance for the bad behavior of others, indeed, but in case after case his intentions are good (for instance, he alone tries to help the outcast Ackley; he shows sensitivity towards the old history teacher Spenser when he takes pains to show appreciation for the teacher's efforts; he concocts an amusing lie to make the insufferable Ernest Morrow's mother feel better about her arrogant son; and there's so much more). Thanks for your take.
Being an unreliable narrator does not mean the narrator is a bad person. It just means that they tell the story in such a way that make unbiased implications. Since Holden narrates, we have no one else to tell us what his motives are. If a story is from a first person perspective it can almost always be argued the narrator is unreliable, because there is no objective way to verify his/her personal account.
Since the book is so much about Holden, his filters and biases are part of the story and provide insight into his emotional life and the reasons for his confusion. For instance, Holden doesn't realize why the cabbie Horowitz is so "touchy" when Holden asks if he knows where the ducks go in the winter, but a more experienced person would have a pretty good idea. I was moved and amused by his asking Horowitz to stop off for a drink even after their heated conversation about the ducks.
No one is saying it doesn't give insight on Holden. His biases and filters develop him as a character, yes, but they limit the perspective of the story because there is no verification on his narration. I'm not sure what your point is in any case, you don't see how Holden is unreliable but your reasons for disbelieve it are unrelated to the veracity of his narration. Unreliable narrators don't make books bad or undetailed, or mean the narrators are bad people, it just means the narration has to be read closely because the point of view is limited and biased but the narrators perspective, prejudices and motives.
I think the narrative strategy works beautifully.
Holden even states about himself that he's an unreliable narrator. It's right at the beginning of the book, where it's said "I'm the most terrific liar you ever say in your life." after that you can't trust anything he tells (which I love about the catcher).
I interpret that differently. He tells us, honestly, about his lies: for instance, the fib to Ernest Morrow's mother about Ernest being a very popular boy; or the lie to the tourist women about Gary Cooper having just been at the club. But I believe his reporting of events is trustworthy.
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David
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Jul 25, 2012 05:19AM
It refers to the the unreliability of his narration. Not that events didn't happen per se, but that he reports them in a biased way. For example, he is rather quick to judge others without discovering their true motives (or even caring), but explains away much of his own faults and errors. This gives a biased view of Holden's situation and it is supposedly Holden using his role as narrator of his story to make himself more sympathetic to his readers.
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I see him as a sensitive, caring, confused individual. He lacks the experience in many cases to make allowance for the bad behavior of others, indeed, but in case after case his intentions are good (for instance, he alone tries to help the outcast Ackley; he shows sensitivity towards the old history teacher Spenser when he takes pains to show appreciation for the teacher's efforts; he concocts an amusing lie to make the insufferable Ernest Morrow's mother feel better about her arrogant son; and there's so much more). Thanks for your take.
Being an unreliable narrator does not mean the narrator is a bad person. It just means that they tell the story in such a way that make unbiased implications. Since Holden narrates, we have no one else to tell us what his motives are. If a story is from a first person perspective it can almost always be argued the narrator is unreliable, because there is no objective way to verify his/her personal account.
Since the book is so much about Holden, his filters and biases are part of the story and provide insight into his emotional life and the reasons for his confusion. For instance, Holden doesn't realize why the cabbie Horowitz is so "touchy" when Holden asks if he knows where the ducks go in the winter, but a more experienced person would have a pretty good idea. I was moved and amused by his asking Horowitz to stop off for a drink even after their heated conversation about the ducks.
No one is saying it doesn't give insight on Holden. His biases and filters develop him as a character, yes, but they limit the perspective of the story because there is no verification on his narration. I'm not sure what your point is in any case, you don't see how Holden is unreliable but your reasons for disbelieve it are unrelated to the veracity of his narration. Unreliable narrators don't make books bad or undetailed, or mean the narrators are bad people, it just means the narration has to be read closely because the point of view is limited and biased but the narrators perspective, prejudices and motives.
I think the narrative strategy works beautifully.
Holden even states about himself that he's an unreliable narrator. It's right at the beginning of the book, where it's said "I'm the most terrific liar you ever say in your life." after that you can't trust anything he tells (which I love about the catcher).
I interpret that differently. He tells us, honestly, about his lies: for instance, the fib to Ernest Morrow's mother about Ernest being a very popular boy; or the lie to the tourist women about Gary Cooper having just been at the club. But I believe his reporting of events is trustworthy.
