When I searched the denotative meaning of crap, one of the definitions I found was "fail in what one is attempting to do." When I read this definition, I realized something about the quote from "Catcher in the Rye" that I never did before. Salinger was mocking the techniques that Dickens used to characterize his characters, with detailed description of past, present, and gradual development to the future: Salinger believed that through thorough descriptions and characterizations, Dickens lost the essence and failed in creating a strong literary piece of work. I think what Salinger meant when he alluded to "David Copperfield," written by Charles Dickens, is to emphasize the importance of actions and thoughts more than minute details about the particular personality of the character. I believe that Salinger is a kind of author that allows his readers to analyze and interpret his characters based on their own experiences and perception. Salinger is proving that even though his protagonist is similar to that of Dickens's, with similar past, personalities, and expectations (no pun intended), he approaches him extremely differently than Dickens. Even though both the authors are strong in their approach with differing literary techniques, readers might prefer one over the other solely based on preferences on "told what to think, believe, and analyze" or "allowed what to think, believe, and analyze."
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