Written by J (Jerome) D (David) Salinger, this story is set in the late 40s in New York and is narrated by a 17-year-old boy named Holden Caulfield who was recently expelled from his school, Prencey Prep, which was his fourth school, after failing out of three others.
The Catcher in the Rye Overview
Prior to the end of the term, Holden took a train to New York and decided that he didn't want to return home to break the news to his parents. So, he spent three days wandering aimlessly around New York City.
Holden Caulfield
The storytelling was so engaging and real, it sounded almost biographical. It was told in a colloquial manner, bringing forth the mind of a very cynical, bitter teenager who hated everything and everyone.
Anyone would be able to appreciate this story; it'd make you smile when you come across feelings you could relate to during your teenage years, and squirm when you imagine a teenager so young throwing profanities so frivolously. The dialogues in the story were funny, entertaining, and the story was easy-going yet provocative.
It was also quite surprising to see how a young boy could be so analytical towards everything around him, constantly observing people and coming to his own conclusions and perception on life. He kept accusing others of being phonies, when he was quite a phony himself too, saying things he didn't mean.
An Honest Story
This is a fascinating read told with great honesty. As much as you'd like to think of Holden as a cynical and immature person, he does sometimes knock some sense into us. For example, when he said, "I'm always saying 'Glad to have met you' to somebody I'm not glad to have met. If you want to stay alive, you have to say that stuff, though.'"
It's true to a certain extent. Are we really phonies? If not, why are we always saying things we don't mean and pretending to be what we are not, to be accepted by the society? Is phoniness the key to survival?
The Most Controversial yet Successful Novel
According to the American Library Association, the book is third on the list of the most challenged books. Some didn't quite like Holden's character and many thought him to be an unsuitable role model. Also, there were too many vulgar words used throughout. Despite that, this novel, which took Salinger 10 years to write, was his first and only novel which became an instant hit in 1951. It is still flying off the shelves today, selling over a quarter of a million copies each year worldwide.
J.D. Salinger and Holden Caulfield
Holden's character probably strikes many similarities with his creator, J.D. Salinger, who was well known for being an unpredictable, a recluse and capricious person who adores children. He never really interacted with other people, let alone the media. His cynicism towards people made him unpopular; even his dad disapproved of him.
You could read about Salinger in his memoir published in the year 2000, titled "Dream Catcher" written by his daughter, Margaret Salinger.
Salinger, J.D., The Catcher in the Rye, UK, Penguin, 1994.
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