--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let me repeat. I have not read all the…" description: "\"“Let me repeat. I have not read all the work of this present generation of writing. I have not had time yet. So I must speak only of the ones I do know..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/william-faulkner-306_catcher-in-the-rye_let-me-repeat-i-have-not-read-all-the-wo_1701596.jpg" --- # Let me repeat. I have not read all the work of this… ![“Let me repeat. I have not read all the work of this present generation of writing. I have not had time yet. So I must speak only of the ones I do know. I am thinking now of what I rate the best one, Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, perhaps because this one expresses so completely what I have tried…” quote by William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/william-faulkner-306_catcher-in-the-rye_let-me-repeat-i-have-not-read-all-the-wo_1701596.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/william-faulkner-306_catcher-in-the-rye_let-me-repeat-i-have-not-read-all-the-wo_1701596.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ec/william-faulkner-306_catcher-in-the-rye_let-me-repeat-i-have-not-read-all-the-wo_1701596.jpg) > ““Let me repeat. I have not read all the work of this present generation of writing. I have not had time yet. So I must speak only of the ones I do know. I am thinking now of what I rate the best one, Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, perhaps because this one expresses so completely what I have tried to say. A youth, father to what will—must—someday be a man, more intelligent than some and more sensitive than most, who—he would not even have called it by instinct because he did not know he possessed it because God perhaps had put it there, loved man and wished to be a part of mankind, humanity, who tried to join the human race and failed. To me, his tragedy was not that he was, as he perhaps thought, not tough enough or brave enough or deserving enough to be accepted into humanity. His tragedy was that when he attempted to enter the human race, there was no human race there. There was nothing for him to do save buzz, frantic and inviolate, inside the glass wall of his tumbler, until he either gave up or was himself, by himself, by his own frantic buzzing, destroyed.”” [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker laments the absence of authentic humanity, describing a young man's futile attempts to connect, leading to self-destruction. **In simple terms:** A youth cannot find a true human community and destroys himself. Key Takeaway Recognize and nurture genuine human connection. Themes isality alienation identity humanity Mood melancholic reflective Type critical literary When to use this quote - college seminars - book clubs - psychotherapy sessions - creative writing workshops Key Concepts Existentialism psychology literary criticism Questions to Reflect On - What does “human race” mean to you? - How can we create spaces for authentic connection? A Different Perspective The analysis may overgeneralize a single novel's themes to all youth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-salinger-1156283/) [Catcher in the rye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catcher-in-the-rye/) [Catcher Rye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catcher-rye/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salinger/) [Salinger Catcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salinger-catcher-1156284/) [Tragedy Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy-thought-1156285/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [When I read Jerome D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" that was the first time I felt my mind blow open. I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/when-i-read-jerome-d-salinger-s-the-catcher-in-the-rye-that-was-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [ “\[On The Catcher in the Rye\] “This Salinger, he’s a short story guy. And he knows how to write about kids. This book though,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-new-york-times/on-the-catcher-in-the-rye-this-salinger-he-s-a-short-story-guy-and-he/) [The New York Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-new-york-times/) > [“Historians, to be sure, have subsequently dug about in the byways of American culture and exposed signs of rebellion and dissatisfation with the conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/historians-to-be-sure-have-subsequently-dug-about-in-the-byways-of/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [“Contrast J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye. The author adopts the childish view of adults as inhumanly powerful and uncomprehending, and never goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/contrast-j-d-salinger-s-catcher-in-the-rye-the-author-adopts-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all… I'm standing on the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-keep-picturing-all-these-little-kids-playing-some-game-in-this-big/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [“That’s what I liked about those nuns. You could tell, for one thing, that they never went anywhere swanky for lunch. It mad me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/that-s-what-i-liked-about-those-nuns-you-could-tell-for-one-thing/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Between 1961 and 1982, 'The Catcher in the Rye' was the most censored book in high schools and libraries in the United States. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/between-1961-and-1982-the-catcher-in-the-rye-was-the-most-censored/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [Very few teachers or leaders in my small Michigan community ever discussed the issue of 'The Catcher in the Rye,' and certainly no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/very-few-teachers-or-leaders-in-my-small-michigan-community-ever/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [I never show my books to Ricky. His writing is very different, and anyway, he's only read one novel in his life: 'The Catcher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fallon/i-never-show-my-books-to-ricky-his-writing-is-very-different-and/) [Jane Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fallon/) > [I'm aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in 'The Catcher In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-m-aware-that-many-of-my-friends-will-be-saddened-and-shocked-or/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [“I thought it was, "If a body catch a body," Anyway, i keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-thought-it-was-if-a-body-catch-a-body-anyway-i-keep-picturing-all/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Any book that can help you survive the slings and arrows of adolescence is a book to love for life; 'The Catcher in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/any-book-that-can-help-you-survive-the-slings-and-arrows-of/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [To me, White Boy Shuffle is sort of like Catcher in the Rye, the story is so universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-phillippe/to-me-white-boy-shuffle-is-sort-of-like-catcher-in-the-rye-the-story/) [Ryan Phillippe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-phillippe/) > [Catcher in the Rye had a profound impact on me-the idea that we all have lots of dreams that are slowly being chipped away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/catcher-in-the-rye-had-a-profound-impact-on-me-the-idea-that-we-all/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [“I also say "Boy" a lot. Partly because I have a lousy vocabulary and partly because I act quite young for my age sometimes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-also-say-boy-a-lot-partly-because-i-have-a-lousy-vocabulary-and/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) ## More by William Faulkner > [“The river itself is not a hundred yards across, and pa and Vernon and Vardaman and Dewey Dell are the only things in sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-river-itself-is-not-a-hundred-yards-across-and-pa-and-vernon-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [The quality an artist must have is objectivity in judging his work, plus the honesty and courage not to kid himself about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/the-quality-an-artist-must-have-is-objectivity-in-judging-his-work/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Luster returned, wearing a stiff new straw hat with a colored band and carrying a cloth cap. The hat seemed to isolate Luster's skull,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/luster-returned-wearing-a-stiff-new-straw-hat-with-a-colored-band-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [It is easy enough to say that man is immortal simply because he will endure: that when the last ding-dong of doom has clanged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-is-easy-enough-to-say-that-man-is-immortal-simply-because-he-will/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-matters-is-at-the-end-of-life-when-you-re-about-to-pass-into/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [I've got to feel the pencil and see the words at the end of the pencil,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-ve-got-to-feel-the-pencil-and-see-the-words-at-the-end-of-the-pencil/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [And sure enough, even waiting will end...if you can just wait long enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/and-sure-enough-even-waiting-will-end-if-you-can-just-wait-long-enough/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/i-believe-that-man-will-not-merely-endure-he-will-prevail-he-is/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/never-be-afraid-to-raise-your-voice-for-honesty-and-truth-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/to-understand-the-world-you-must-first-understand-a-place-like/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“What modren ideas?” pap said. “I didn’t know there was but one idea about work—until it is done, it ain’t done, and when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/what-modren-ideas-pap-said-i-didn-t-know-there-was-but-one-idea-about/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“It was only as he put his hand on the door that he became aware of complete silence beyond it, a silence which he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-was-only-as-he-put-his-hand-on-the-door-that-he-became-aware-of/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“She has no mother because fatherblood hates with love and pride, but motherblood with hate loves and cohabits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/she-has-no-mother-because-fatherblood-hates-with-love-and-pride-but/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“Byron listened quietly, thinking to himself how people everywhere are about the same, but that it did seem that in a small town, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/byron-listened-quietly-thinking-to-himself-how-people-everywhere-are/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“It was too late. Maybe yesterday, while I was still a child, but not now. I knew too much, had seen too much, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/it-was-too-late-maybe-yesterday-while-i-was-still-a-child-but-not-now/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) [Explore all 673 William Faulkner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) ## More Catcher in the rye quotes > [“I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all… I'm standing on the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-keep-picturing-all-these-little-kids-playing-some-game-in-this-big/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Catcher in the Rye had a profound impact on me-the idea that we all have lots of dreams that are slowly being chipped away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/catcher-in-the-rye-had-a-profound-impact-on-me-the-idea-that-we-all/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [To me, White Boy Shuffle is sort of like Catcher in the Rye, the story is so universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-phillippe/to-me-white-boy-shuffle-is-sort-of-like-catcher-in-the-rye-the-story/) [Ryan Phillippe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-phillippe/) > [Any book that can help you survive the slings and arrows of adolescence is a book to love for life; 'The Catcher in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/any-book-that-can-help-you-survive-the-slings-and-arrows-of/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [“I thought it was, "If a body catch a body," Anyway, i keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-thought-it-was-if-a-body-catch-a-body-anyway-i-keep-picturing-all/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [I'm aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in 'The Catcher In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-m-aware-that-many-of-my-friends-will-be-saddened-and-shocked-or/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [I never show my books to Ricky. His writing is very different, and anyway, he's only read one novel in his life: 'The Catcher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fallon/i-never-show-my-books-to-ricky-his-writing-is-very-different-and/) [Jane Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fallon/) > [“The boarding school memoir or novel is an enduring literary subgenre, from 1950s classics such as The Catcher in the Rye to Curtis Sittenfeld’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-doust/the-boarding-school-memoir-or-novel-is-an-enduring-literary-subgenre/) [Jon Doust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-doust/) > [Very few teachers or leaders in my small Michigan community ever discussed the issue of 'The Catcher in the Rye,' and certainly no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/very-few-teachers-or-leaders-in-my-small-michigan-community-ever/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [Between 1961 and 1982, 'The Catcher in the Rye' was the most censored book in high schools and libraries in the United States. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-grenell/between-1961-and-1982-the-catcher-in-the-rye-was-the-most-censored/) [Richard Grenell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-grenell/) > [“Of those of us who comprise the real clan of the book, who read not to judge the reading of others but to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/of-those-of-us-who-comprise-the-real-clan-of-the-book-who-read-not-to/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Why can't a democrat get fired up about protecting the environment and enacting gun control legislation just as right wing republicans get fired up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/why-can-t-a-democrat-get-fired-up-about-protecting-the-environment/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [“D.B. asked me what I thought about all this stuff I just finished telling you about. I didn't know what the hell to say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/d-b-asked-me-what-i-thought-about-all-this-stuff-i-just-finished/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [I'd never seen that look on another face before, had never identified it in another person. I'd only met with it in fiction. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/i-d-never-seen-that-look-on-another-face-before-had-never-identified/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [“Oh, Romeo and Juliet! Lovely! Didn’t you just love it?”She certainly didn’t sound like a nun. “Yes. I did. I liked it a lot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/oh-romeo-and-juliet-lovely-didn-t-you-just-love-it-she-certainly-didn/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) [Browse all 75 Catcher in the rye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catcher-in-the-rye/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Let me repeat. I have not read all the work of this present generation of writing. I have not had time yet. So I must speak only of the ones I do know. I am thinking now of what I rate the best one, Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, perhaps because this one expresses so completely what I have tried to say. A youth, father to what will—must—someday be a man, more intelligent than some and more sensitive than most, who—he would not even have called it by instinct because he did not know he possessed it because God perhaps had put it there, loved man and wished to be a part of mankind, humanity, who tried to join the human race and failed. 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