J.D. Salinger published this reputed American classic in 1951, which was probably the most censored book in high schools and libraries until the mid 1980s. I'm not sure why it's considered a classic other than the fact that professors and publishers like looking for hidden meanings in each chapter. I'm not saying that I didn't like the novel, because I did enjoy it, but mainly because I think Salinger's descriptions and language usage of the late 1940s was terrific. I forgot about the word "crumby"- meaning inadequate, or "phony"- meaning pretentious. The narrator and protagonist of the novel, Holden Caulfield ( a seventeen year old boy ) uses these words a lot in his narration. And how about "flitty", or referring to people as "old" this or that? The writing in this novel is very strong, but the story is moderate at best to this reviewer. I don't see myself debating hidden meanings with anybody. I'm assuming it was censored in schools because of sexual allusions, the morality codes of the 1940s and 50s, family values and some coarse language ( very mild compared to today's language). The thing that puzzles me is the title of the book! Holden is walking through N.Y.C. and hears a little boy singing a song to himself. What's up with the title of the book? Shmoop states: "What's up indeed. The first mention we get of this mysterious catcher in this mysterious rye is when Holden overhears a little kid singing, "If a body catch a body coming through the rye." Momentarily, it makes him feel not so depressed, in part because Holden is a fan of little children, and the only things better than little children are little children who are singing." Apparently, Holden sees himself as the catcher in the rye catching the children as they fall off a cliff as he construed Robert Burns's 1796 poem. Who knows? Salinger was a kind of recluse and didn't give many interviews.
The book starts off with Holden Caulfield ( our protagonist ) in a hospital in Southern California narrating the story of his previous December's adventures in Pennsylvania and N.Y.C. The reader doesn't know whether it's a mental or physical hospital. Maybe that is one of the debatable points of this book. Anyway, he is being expelled from Pencey Prep in Pennsylvania. The reader gets the feeling that this isn't the first school that he's been thrown out of. He doesn't seem to see why learning is important, doesn't get along with his teachers, or roommates, and doesn't seem to respect his very successful parents. And what does his `red hunting hat' symbolize? He heads to N.Y.C. several days before his parents will receive the letter from Pencey Prep saying that he has been expelled. In N.Y.C., he books a cheap hotel and pines about his life. He likes to drink, smoke and make an ass of himself. He contacts previous girlfriend Sally, and makes a mess of things. He constantly thinks about calling another old flame Jane, but never does. He contacts his sister Phoebe, and an old teacher Mr. Antolini. The crux of the story is what happens on his adventures in N.Y.C, and the big debate with literary scrappers is : What's up with his mental health, and what does his movements mean? As far as this reader is concerned- who cares, just read and enjoy!
I wonder after reading this book if this Holden Caulfield character is really J.D. Salinger as a young man. I had the same feeling when reading John Irving's 'In One Person'. Anyway, you literary debaters, I think if you re-read page 170 you will find out how Holden Caulfield really feels about school and life: "You ought to go to a boy's school sometime. Try it sometime," I said. "It's full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques". Metaphorically speaking, I think Holden was literally drowning in boredom. Anyway, enough thoughts about Holden Caulfield's mental state that is being puppeteered by the cloistered J.D. Salinger! Just grab a copy and form your own opinions.
The book starts off with Holden Caulfield ( our protagonist ) in a hospital in Southern California narrating the story of his previous December's adventures in Pennsylvania and N.Y.C. The reader doesn't know whether it's a mental or physical hospital. Maybe that is one of the debatable points of this book. Anyway, he is being expelled from Pencey Prep in Pennsylvania. The reader gets the feeling that this isn't the first school that he's been thrown out of. He doesn't seem to see why learning is important, doesn't get along with his teachers, or roommates, and doesn't seem to respect his very successful parents. And what does his `red hunting hat' symbolize? He heads to N.Y.C. several days before his parents will receive the letter from Pencey Prep saying that he has been expelled. In N.Y.C., he books a cheap hotel and pines about his life. He likes to drink, smoke and make an ass of himself. He contacts previous girlfriend Sally, and makes a mess of things. He constantly thinks about calling another old flame Jane, but never does. He contacts his sister Phoebe, and an old teacher Mr. Antolini. The crux of the story is what happens on his adventures in N.Y.C, and the big debate with literary scrappers is : What's up with his mental health, and what does his movements mean? As far as this reader is concerned- who cares, just read and enjoy!
I wonder after reading this book if this Holden Caulfield character is really J.D. Salinger as a young man. I had the same feeling when reading John Irving's 'In One Person'. Anyway, you literary debaters, I think if you re-read page 170 you will find out how Holden Caulfield really feels about school and life: "You ought to go to a boy's school sometime. Try it sometime," I said. "It's full of phonies, and all you do is study so that you can learn enough to be smart enough to be able to buy a goddam Cadillac some day, and you have to keep making believe you give a damn if the football team loses, and all you do is talk about girls and liquor and sex all day, and everybody sticks together in these dirty little goddam cliques". Metaphorically speaking, I think Holden was literally drowning in boredom. Anyway, enough thoughts about Holden Caulfield's mental state that is being puppeteered by the cloistered J.D. Salinger! Just grab a copy and form your own opinions.
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