The Catcher in the Rye
 | von Jerome D. Salinger
Kategorie:
USA
ISBN: 0316769487 |
Caught Between Adolescence and Adulthood
This story should be read at a certain age, which for me is 15, in order for the reader to respect the quality of this book. The main character, Holden Caufield, is caught between the carefree world of childhood and the responsibility he fears facing when he reaches his adult years. He can no longer stand his confusion about what lies ahead in his future. Salinger offers many hints and symbols about the boy's confusion, even in his choice of drink- whiskey, an older man's drink, with soda, for the child in him. The title is "Cather in the Rye" because of the unreal profession Holden wants to occupy when he is older. This imaginary job is preventing children from falling off a cliff. The symbolism in this is that Holden really wants to prevent younger children from falling into the phoniness of teenage society and its cliques, modern day examples being wiggas, skaters, athletes, losers, etc. He wants all the children to be protected from the problems he faces. This story helped me out much when I read it only a couple of months ago, and his hopes of protecting children from falling into the phoniness of teenageism are fulfilled whenever someone, who is at the right age, reads this teriffic novel. It has affected my feelings of the teenage idealism that I see daily. I was insulted when my 30 year old brother said he couldn't stand the book, which he didn't bother to start reading until he was 29. It is perfect for the ages of 15-18.
A hard act to follow
"Catcher in the Rye" portrayed the suffering and alienation of an otherwise privileged, middle-class young man long before such a theme became fashionable. So much of today's writing with comparable themes seems like a tepid imitation of the original.Holden Caulfield is an utterly convincing character who is not reaching out from the pages and trying to grab our sympathy. Salinger should be commended for not endowing Caulfield with bathos and excessive sadness. Instead, he presents Caulfield's state of mind in a simple, lucid narrative. As a result, this novel is very effective in examining timeless questions about the nature of happiness and the conflict between the individual and society. There is also a compelling honesty in Salinger's writing that makes Caulfield so believable that I frequently forget he is a fictional character. This book should be read by young people and adults alike. It should also be read by aspiring writers attempting to market their own tales of woe.
Enter Holden
The Catcher in the Rye is undoubtedly one of the best books that I have ever read, and just in case if you are wondering, yes I am a teenager. It seems to me that the only audience that truly appreciates this magnificent piece is the high school kid. My reasoning behind this is because the story is basically an account of a teenage guy's eventful and emotional life - rather four days of it. The content of these four days in New York more than makes up for rather short time span of the novel. Holden Vitamin Caulfield, as he likes to call himself, is constantly being bombarded with psycological pressures. His overwhelming concern revolves around the existence of "phonies" as he so calls them, who limit the ideas of the adolescent and try to get in the way of Holden's voyage to another realm, free of corruption and media. Holden searches for a world devoid of the limits of his adolescent years. Holden never really does encounter any physical dangers in his journey to find himself, instead he feels threatened by the majority and contemporary mass cluture, which promote the loss of individuality, ancient accepted values, and intellectual awareness. A plot summary of The Catcher is a very tedious task indeed. The strucure of it could be associated with a patient's recollection of past events to psychiatrist. Even so, the actual plot is not the most important thing about this book. What is important are the characters and their philosophies. Many adults may criticize Holden and his rough language, but us teenagers wolud just flock to Holden if he were an actual person. Holden also carries with him his trusty red hunting hat, a symbol of his protection and sense of self. Holden also makes several remarks about the ducks on the lagoon of Central Park South. He wonders where they go when winter comes along. One can think of this as a VERY extended metaphor comparing Holden himself looking for a new place to settle to the ducks of Central Park. My recommendation is that if you are a teenager who has a touch on reality and would just love to hear other accounts and insights on life from a similar perspective, then this book is a MUST for you! If you are a little older perhaps and you think that all this is nonsense, then this novel is even more of a MUST for you. It is a must for anybody! Still, I honestlythink that my fellow teenagers will get more of a kick out of this book. Even my very own English teacher remarked that Catcher made more of an impact the first time she read it, of course when she was a female Holden, herself, a normal teenager just looking for complete ecstacy, including love, friends, and true family. Salinger also presents Holden's tale through very delicate symbols, including his hat, the rain, and even suitcases. Its better and more fulfilling for you to see these for yourself. Also, be prepared for constant exaggeration, complete oxymorons, and swearing because after all, this is a true representation of the maturing youth. If one is so superficial to simply not read this because of the choice of words, then i pity him, for he has completely missed the point that Salinger was trying to make, and he has missed out on truly one of the best books ever to be written.
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