Reading Salinger
A crucial part of the writing process happens before we even have the chance to pick up our pens. In order to be able to write effectively, we must be able to read effectively, so we can model our work after others. For the sake of this assignment I chose to read the short storyTeddy by J.D Salinger; though I had not read the story before, I am very familiar with Salinger’s work and background.
Prior to reading, I followed the series of questions laid out in Bunn’s article “How to Read Like a Writer”, considering what the potential audience and message of the story may be, and whether or not I will be assigned to do any writings similar to this one (Bunn 76-78). Many of Salinger’s writings have to do with his experiences in the army, his bouts with depression, and his spiritual perspectives (particularly of Vedism), so when reading his works it is crucial to be watchful for those themes. Of course, as a science major, it’s unlikely that I will be asked to write any creative pieces for class, but I do write on the side for pleasure and take inspiration from Salinger’s works.
As I read through Teddy, the first evidence toward a depressive them is Teddy’s remark to his mother as he leaves their cruise ship cabin, that once he leaves he “may only exist in the minds of all of [his] acquaintances” and that he might be “an orange peel” (Salinger 170). The story progresses through Teddy’s interactions, primarily transitioning by means of his location aboard the ship; he first goes to the Sport Deck to see his sister (Salinger 172), before heading to do his own work on the Sun Deck. By choosing to divide the story by Teddy’s movements, it allows the audience to visualize his ventures to a greater extent.
The true purpose of the piece becomes more evident, however, through the dialogue that Teddy shares with Bob Nicholson, where Salinger’s religious views are explored explicitly. The genius twelve-year old and this stranger discuss the concept of “Vedantic reincarnation,” which Teddy largely supports as he refutes Nicholson’s attempts to counter its existence (Salinger 185). By reading like a writer, I can not only grasp that Salinger’s objective is to educate his audience about Vedism, but I also see that dialogue can be extremely telling in a piece of writing. Sheer description is not always enough to allow for the audience to see what the author is attempting to convey.
Reading like a writer is extremely effective in the case of fiction, since regular reading often only allows the reader to seek information (Bunn 74). When the intended lesson of a story isn’t so apparent as a nonfiction story, it is easy to ignore what is right in front of our eyes. I believe that in action, reading like a writer allows the reader to walk away with a greater understanding not only of the author’s purpose, but of how they can become clearer and more effective in their own works.
Works Cited
Bunn, Mike.”How to Read Like a Writer.” Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing. Ed. Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky. Vol. 1. West Lafayette, IN: Parlor P, 2010. 71-86. Writing Spaces. Web. 2 Feb. 2016.
