Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters--I also think highly of. I like that Salinger set himself a task that restricted him in time and space. It takes place mostly in a car, all in real time, is entirely from the point of view of Buddy Glass, first-person narrative, and the narrative doesn't attempt to presume what people are thinking or feeling, except as they express it. It's very much dialogue driven. Reminds me of Hitchcock--Hitchcock in Lifeboat and Rope. A closet drama quality about it.

Zooey expands on this approach, beginning with the first-person introduction by Buddy--his description of Zooey's handsomeness, quoting the older Glass sister to the effect that Zooey looked like "the blue-eyed Jewish-Irish Mohican scout who died in your arms at Monte Carlo" is alone worth the price of admission. Its companion piece, Seymour--An Introduction is almost the polar opposite in its narrative technique. It is all Buddy Glass's interior monologue, his dark night of the soul, and where Roof Beam was laconic, terse, and more than a little arch, Seymour is high-flown, even flowery, definitely over the top.

To move into contemporary classics: David Brent, Malcolm Tucker...Ronald McDonald and Dennis Reynolds probably apply, but Charlie Kelly is all too likeable. Michael Bluth has his flaws, but I think is a generally rooted-for guy. Michael Scott is an interesting one, as unlike Brent you're actually sympathetic to him sometimes...but in that genre Andy Millman probably takes the cake.

he's a spoilt, rich, tiresome teenager who really REALLY could use some parents. i mean the kind who actually TALK to their kid instead of leaving him to sink. any mother whose son is 16 damm well knows that when any male says something like - i'm good, i'm fine, no problem - when his arm, head or heart is broke - you just ignore that stuff and take care of your kid (same goes for adult males)

But he doesn't have parents like that. He doesn't have anyone to turn to, and you're right, he's sinking.

The thing about Holden Caulfield is that he's freaking out. He doesn't have anyone to turn to, and every time he tries to make a connection, he fails. But he doesn't realize he's freaking out. He makes such a big deal about protecting his little sister because he wants somebody to protect him.

Nice post.

Yes, it's remarkable how some get off of slapping 16-year old boys about.