J.D. Salinger's Death and the rights to his work...

Astronomer · 01-30-2010, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumberNineDream

It's even uglier having someone publish something to the public and then acting as if it's still a private belonging. If you didn't want to share it, you should've just kept it to yourself.
I may be ruined and it may be a piece of art... All art forms are derived from previous ones, and if we want to act so protective about our work we will stop evolving very soon.

Well that is precisely why Salinger became a recluse. Because after publishing Catcher he decided that he no longer wanted to share any more of his work, and he just wanted to continuing writing purely for himself. So he kept everything following that novel to himself. But now after his death, his private writings will no doubt be sought after and published in a series of lucrative formats. Which is the whole pinpoint of the controversy surrounding his death - he wanted to keep these works private but no doubt they'll surface now.

As for the whole movie thing, the main point is not whether people should be allowed to use his art to reproduce other adaptations, but the point that people are taking advantage of his death to make money and to do so.

NumberNineDream · 01-30-2010, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

Well that is precisely why Salinger became a recluse. Because after publishing Catcher he decided that he no longer wanted to share any more of his work, and he just wanted to continuing writing purely for himself. So he kept everything following that novel to himself. But now after his death, his private writings will no doubt be sought after and published in a series of lucrative formats. Which is the whole pinpoint of the controversy surrounding his death - he wanted to keep these works private but no doubt they'll surface now.

As for the whole movie thing, the main point is not whether people should be allowed to use his art to reproduce other adaptations, but the point that people are taking advantage of his death to make money and to do so.

I don't really care about the money, and I would prefer if his works were published. I'm sorry, but all the worthy artists have a hint of self-destruction implanted in them. So if we'll ever need to know what they did, we have to wait till they die and act against their will.

Kafka wanted his friend to burn all his works (luckily his friend wasn't as dumb as him), and Francis Bacon decided he'll just destroy himself his paintings (and luckily, he only destroyed half)... and I'm here talking about my favourite author, and my favourite painter.

So I say, I hope they do publish everything.

duga · 01-30-2010, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumberNineDream

I don't really care about the money, and I would prefer if his works were published. I'm sorry, but all the worthy artists have a hint of self-destruction implanted in them. So if we'll ever need to know what they did, we have to wait till they die and act against their will.

Kafka wanted his friend to burn all his works (luckily his friend wasn't as dumb as him), and Francis Bacon decided he'll just destroy himself his paintings (and luckily, he only destroyed half)... and I'm here talking about my favourite author, and my favourite painter.

So I say, I hope they do publish everything.

if they were to do that and maintain any amount of integrity, they should prove they aren't just trying to capitalize on it and make some money. i don't know how that would happen...but i can respect someone wanting to see his work from an artistic perspective. it just disgusts me when you have publishers and filmmakers that really just want to profit from the hype surrounding his death and the intrigue it has from him never wanting it released.