“The Catcher in the Rye” was first published on July 16, 1951 by J.D. Salinger. It has received some mixed reviews and has been involved in controversial arguments.
About the Author
J.D. Salinger is a widely known author of many popular novels, including “The Catcher in the Rye”, “Franny and Zooey”, “Nine Stories” and more. He was born Jan. 1, 1919 in Manhattan, NY, and passed away on Jan. 27, 2010 at age 91. Along with being an author, Salinger also served in World War II. While he never won any awards, Salinger made bestsellers and was a well established author. Salinger also made it clear that his writing was his own. He would not allow anyone to make a movie for his books such as “The Catcher in the Rye”.
Summary
“The Catcher in the Rye” describes the life of the main character Holden Caulfield who is 16 years old and the challenges he faces. He gets expelled from his prep school, and wanders around New York City, figuring out his next steps. During this time, he questions himself, the people around him, and the world in general. He tends to believe the world around him is “phony”. Encountering situations that adults are a part of makes the idea of getting older terrifying to Holden. He finds himself to be different than everyone else and struggles to understand why certain people act the way that they do. This then results in his alienation from the rest of the world.
At what age should you read?
The themes that arise are very mature and deep in this novel. Some involve protecting childhood innocence, facing dangerous situations, exploring your identity, and dealing with mental illness. Holden comes into contact with many mature situations. This novel includes explicit language, sexual activity, violence, and alcohol use. Because of these things, I would say the novel is suitable for teenagers around the age of 15. Some say that these themes are not suitable for children and are far too inappropriate for the classroom. Others claim that it spreads an important message and explores things that adolescents go through, which is appropriate for the classroom.
Controversy
This book has been banned in some U.S. states such as Wyoming, North Dakota, and California in the classroom because of its profanity and sexual themes. People worry that the negative ideals from Holden will influence their children.
“The Catcher in the Rye” has also been involved in criminal investigations. Copies of the book have been seen with various murderers, specifically those against government officials or famous names. For instance, Mark David Chapman who murdered John Lennon, was fixated on the novel and was in possession of a copy while he committed his crime.
Opinions
Personally, I had mixed feelings about the novel. I liked the themes of growing up and finding your purpose in the world. However, I didn’t necessarily enjoy the angst of the main character Holden as he seemed to find the negatives in every situation. Overall I found the book to be pretty interesting but slow at parts, and to also have a deep meaning of finding oneself in a world full of differences.
Reader Leilani Wiggins claimed that “I thought it was a hard read that only got interesting at the end and left me confused.”
