h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm reading CITR at the moment and I've reached chapter 14. I want to know: what exactly in the book made Chapman want to go shoot John Lennon? I can't see anything so far that may have 'inspired' him.

Perhaps it was because it is such an awful book - he felt the need to go and distract himself?

It's alright. Have you read Lord of the Flies? Now that IS a snooze.

I read it when I was at school. I don't know of any direct inspiration but the book does convey Holden's don't give a f**k attitude which may have something to do with it.

err didn't he start thinking JL was a "phoney" or something?

Yeah, he thought Lennon was turning into a phoney and had become evil for it or something strange like that.

Mark Chapman was a nut. Mentally ill, etcetera etcetera...

He was also a Christian. He killed JL because of the "The Beatles are bigger than Jesus" line. Only, he wasn't carrying a Bible at the time (too heavy?). Now, if he had, would this conversation still be going on?

You can read almost anything into Catcher in the Rye, just simply because it's a book about not much. Great, amazing book. But there's nothing really specific in terms of themes, besides that of teenage/post teenage unsureness about the future. My theory is, he was just reading the book. Mentally ill people read too.