Review of The Catcher in the Rye by: JD Salinger
Once again we begin in my junior year of high
school. It was a very exciting time because we were about to read one of the
ALA’s most frequently challenged books, The
Catcher in the Rye. I remember my teacher making a really big deal about
the fact that it’s a challenged book and telling us that if you found a book on
the ALA’s most challenged list reprehensible for some reason then you didn’t
have to read it.
At this point me, in all my glory, raised my hand
and said “Well, MDC supposedly killed John Lennon because of Catcher in Rye and I’m pretty offended
by that.”
My English teacher just stared at me. I’m not sure
if I was the first person to ever question the “you don’t have the read the
challenged book” thing or the first person to bring up John Lennon’s
assassination, but either way I read Salinger’s book. Twice.
*Summary Contains Spoilers*
The story opens with our protagonist, 16 year old Holden
Caulfield, about to be expelled from his 4th fancy-pants prep
school. Most of his classmates are at a football game and he watches them,
feeling isolated. He goes to say goodbye to one of his favorite teachers, but
becomes irritated when said favorite teacher gets on Holden’s case because he
never applies himself.
Those darn teachers. Always prepared to lecture.
Holden only becomes more irritated when he returns to
his dorm to find his roommate, Stradlater, leaving to meet his date Jane
Gallagher. Holden gets jittery because he likes Jane and they used to “date” or
something. He doesn’t like the idea of Stradlater getting it on with Jane, so
when the guy gets home Holden confronts him. The boys wrestle and Holden acquires
a bloody nose.
At this point in the novel it’s a few days before
the fall semester ends for Christmas break. As he is now irritated all the
phonies at school and is gonna get kicked out anyways, Holden decides to skip
town early and go home to NYC, feeling isolated. However, he doesn’t go to his
house and decides instead to check into a hotel for a few days. And so begins
Holden’s romp around the city.
He takes a cab from the train station to the hotel
and asks the driver what happens to the ducks in the central park lagoon in the
winter. The driver is irritated with the question and just takes Holden to the
hotel.
After he’s settled Holden tries to call some people,
or thinks about trying to call them but, feeling isolated, comes up with all
sorts of excuses.
He goes down to the bar in the hotel and dances with
some women, and then begins to think about Jane. They met when their families
vacationed in houses next door to one another. Jane and Holden used to hang out
and they would play checkers on the porch in the evening. One night Jane’s stepfather
interrupts the game, and she cries when he leaves. Holden takes her in his arms
and tries to kiss her. She won’t let him kiss her mouth so he kisses her all
over her face. And thus concludes Holden’s only sexual contact to date.
At this point in my English class I had read ahead
of everyone else in the class, because I was into Holden’s story. I went to see
my teacher during her planning period because I had some questions. Namely, do
we ever find out in the book that Holden was abused in any way? I thought and
still think the Holden’s withdrawn behavior may indicate that something horrific
happened to him in his childhood. (Aside from the death of his brother.)
So, my teacher told me she always thought the same
thing but my question isn’t ever really addressed. But, she said, keep reading
and I’ll come to the part of the book that leads her to agree with me.
After a night of scotch and soda, Holden returns to
the hotel where the elevator operator tells him he can send a prostitute to his
room. Sunny the prostitute comes by, takes her dress off, sits on Holden’s lap,
and Holden tells her he’s recovering from surgery and can’t have sex. He tries
to have a nice talk with Sunny, but she’s not interested. Holden becomes
increasingly uncomfortable with the entirety of the encounter and tells Sunny
to leave.
The next day Holden calls up Sally, a girl he used
to “date” and they spend the day together. Holden eventually asks her to run
away with him and live in a cabin in Maine or Vermont. She’s horrified and
reacts as such and Holden is horrified at her reaction and reacts as such. They
part ways and Holden gets drunk, feeling isolated. He drunk dials Sally, and
then decides to break into his parents’ house. As he’s creeping around he wakes
up his little sister, Phoebe. Phoebe is the only person Holden likes. She
scolds him for getting kicked out of school again and he tells her about his
real dream…*drumroll please*…to be the catcher in the rye. Just like in the poem,
he’ll save little children from falling off a cliff. Also known as protecting
the innocence of children so they don’t grown up and become phony and jaded
like him.
Phoebe tells him he’s ridiculous and he misinterpreted
the poem. You can find it here.
Holden then goes to crash at another old teacher’s
house, but when he wakes up to the teacher stroking Holden’s forehead Holden
freaks and runs as he is severely homophobic.
The novel winds down with Holden sending a note to
Phoebe telling her he’s running away. She wants to go with him and he, of
course, refuses. Phoebe follows Holden anyways and he makes her ride a carousel.
It begins to rain, but Holden is finally happy watching his sister acting as
she should be—like a little girl. Holden then tells the reader he doesn’t want
to bother them with the story of how he went home and got sick, but he does want
to try to go back to school in the fall.
I have heard
two theories about the end of the novel and the setting from where Holden tells
his story. 1) He had a psychotic break and is in a mental facility. 2) He got
TB and is in a recovery home type place where he still sees a psychologist.
As Holden spends the majority of the novel wandering
about NYC in December in the rain, drunk, and only a hunting hat for warmth, I
can accept either ending as fact. Though as I am the gal writing this blog
about Holden’s confession I think he would have to label me as phony, so you
decide what ending works for you.
And here is where I sat, finishing the novel for the
second time (once on my own and once on par with my class) and still had no idea
why MDC thought Holden wanted John Lennon dead. Screw you MDC for ruining good
literature and taking one of music’s greatest heroes from us.
Report Card:
Catcher
in the Rye is a classic in the canon of high school
literature. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who hasn’t read it, and the reaction
is always the same—you either love it or you hate it.
For me, there are scenes in the novel that I really
like (the carousel scene—BEAUTIFUL), and also scenes that I don’t (the Jazz
bar, other drunk shenanigans). Overall, I do enjoy me some Catcher in the Rye. It’s a book that has grown on me over the
years, and not being a teenager anymore has actually made me appreciate it more.
Therefore, I shall give it an A.
But, there are some things to address.
1) Why is it such an important book for high
schoolers to read? Some people say its because of Holden’s isolation. He’s
angry and hormonal and just like any other 16 year old, right? Why don’t you
want to read about this kid who’s lonely and searching for something for a real
adult connection with someone, just like you?
Though I would argue the real importance of this
book comes with all the themes running through it. High schoolers need to start
thinking critically about books and movies and such and Salinger’s novel is a
great jumping off point. From Holden’s feelings of isolation to his obsession
with keeping his sister young and innocent there is so much to talk about and
think about in regards to this novel. I remember Catcher sparking a lot of talk in my class, and good talk about
good books is never a bad thing.
2) The Catcher
in the Rye questions and conspiracy theories!
Is Holden crazy? Sick? Did he have a metal break or
TB? Was he sexually abused? What life choices lead Sunny to prostitution? Was
Jane sexually abused? Is the teacher really gay? How did Holden’s brother die?
Are Holden’s parents cold and distant? Is Phoebe a super genius? Where do the
Central Park ducks go in the winter?
I promise you these questions (but not their answers) and many more as you dive into
Salinger’s classic The Catcher in the
Rye!
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