"The Catcher In The Rye" is a novel that has always attracted controversy.

"The Catcher In The Rye" is a novel that has always attracted controversy. When J.D. Salinger's novel, "The Catcher In The Rye" was first published in 1951, it caused a storm in both the literary world, due to its unusual content and style, and the American social scene. In a list of the most controversial books ever written, it is claimed that, "this immediate best seller almost simultaneously became a popular target of censorship" (1) and that it was banned due to its "profanity, reference to suicide, vulgarity, disrespect, and anti-Christian sentiments" (1) . The main aspects of this novel which make it controversial are; the language and style Salinger chooses to use, the comment he makes on 1950's capitalist America, Holden's state of mental health, Holden's opinions on sexuality and treatment of women, his relationships with children and his portrayal as a Christ-like figure. Many of these issues are still controversial today and more recent events, such as the assassination of John Lennon in 1980 by a man carrying a copy of the novel and wearing the red hunting hat that Holden talks about in the book, have only served to attract further controversy to "The Catcher In The Rye". It is still a controversial novel containing issues and language that still offend. The language Salinger uses in the novel is immediately recognised as controversial, even in today's society

  • Word count: 2152
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Catcher in the Rye

The special moments in life only last a short period of time. In The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger portrays a young fellow that dislikes himself and the world that surrounds him. The protagonist shows the way many teenagers feel about themselves and their relations with their parents, their friends and the opposite sex. Salinger uses secondary characters to remark Holden's isolation in society, the mood and his immaturity. Holden, the main character in the book, feels isolated in a society where almost nobody cares for him, he acts sometimes in strange ways and tends to react in very peculiar ways. Along the story, there are many examples of Holden's isolation but there are three that stand out because of their double meanings. One of them is how he is pretending to be walking through the park and acts as if he was shot. Normally people do not do this. One might think that he is crazy or that he does not really care about life. Both interpretations are correct but the best one in this case is that really he does not care about life, he is just bored and acts as if someone had killed him and he was dead. This fact allows the reader to get the impression that Holden has a miserable life and does not want to live any more. The second example of Holden's isolation and a proof that he is a strange character is when he is in a taxi and tries to struck up a conversation with the

  • Word count: 1258
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Catcher in the Rye : self knowledge

Catcher in the Rye: Self knowledge The character of Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" must endure many hardships on his way to self-knowledge. Holden's actions and fantasies about helping children symbolize his fear of the reality of the real, adult world. In J.D. Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye, the protagonist, Holden, goes through many hardships in his journey to self-knowledge. In the beginning, Holden has to deal with being kicked out of school and not having any place to call home. He is also struggling with the unfortunate tragedy of the death of his beloved younger brother Allie. At the same time, Holden is trying to deal with growing up and accepting the adult world. Throughout the novel Salinger addresses the conflicts faced by a young man struggling with the trials and tribulations of growing up while also confronting personal loss and loneliness along the way. In the beginning of the novel the reader learns that Holden has been kicked out of his school Pency-Prep. Holden talks about how he has been kicked out of schools in the past and says, "They gave me frequent warnings to start applying myself... but I didn't do it. So I got the ax"(4). This shows that Holden doesn't really care about school, it is not all that important to him. In fact, he decides to leave school early, a few days before Christmas break begins saying

  • Word count: 1409
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Theme in The Catcher in the Rye.

Theme in The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger in The Catcher in the Rye shows the turbulence and confusion experienced during many childhoods. This confusion is expressed through Salinger's use of long, run-on sentences that often contradict themselves. A clear example of this stylistic technique is found on page 62, when Holden states, "I think if you don't really like a girl, you shouldn't horse around with her at all, and if you do like her, then you're supposed to like her face, and if you like her face, you ought to be careful about doing crumby stuff to it, like squirting water all over it. It's really too bad that so much crumby stuff is a lot of fun sometimes." The structure of these two sentences reveals a character that is coming to terms with his impending adulthood and trying to establish his identity. By using long, run-on sentences, J.D. Salinger provides room for Holden to contradict himself and argue both sides of his arguments. Currently, Holden sees the same acts as both "crumby" and "fun", and he hasn't had an opportunity to make up his mind yet. One of his main sources of confusion is interpersonal relationships. Salinger devotes fifty-three words in a single sentence to Holden's musings about girls and where to draw the line with them. Relationships are just one of the things that don't make sense yet to Holden because his life experiences are

  • Word count: 5338
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

An Analysis on the Relevance of J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye in Modern Times

Holden in Real Life: An Analysis on the Relevance of J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye in Modern Times It's highly intriguing that years after it's publishing, The Catcher in the Rye remains such an intriguing novel to teachers, students, and the general population alike. Yet through analyzing the main themes of the book, one can deduce that although the slang and fashion might be outdated, The Catcher in the Rye is still relatable and relevant. This can be primarily attributed to the constant theme of teenage angst and desire for rebellion, a common feeling spurred amongst the young for decades. The book also remains relevant because of the history behind the book as well as the culture it has created. Regardless of opinions however, J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, although written half a century ago, maintains relevance in this time as a coming of age novel that opens perspectives and boldly exposes themes that were once tabooed in the American society. To begin, Holden has primarily maintained relevance in the modern age because he continues to give a voice to the youth of our society. Taking a tone of rebellion, Holden separates himself from the society that is so illegitimate in his eyes, and seems to form a realm of his own within his mind. This primarily entails his disrespect for most adults and the rules they make for everyone. You can see

  • Word count: 909
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

a letter to holden caulfield

Catcher in the Rye Dear Mr. Holden Caulfield, You broke the ice in my soul. I see the world differently after I read your diary. I was too much of a wimp before this but as the bible says "whereas until now I was blind, but now I see". I consider myself kind of lucky to have found the personal diary of a high school student, a year back, just before I was to get admitted into one. I really was quite a wimp before this and perceived myself to be in the company of dominating buddies, who'd hang in popular circles, whom I'd have to devote my honest friendship to, just so that I could earn my share of popularity. But your diary altered my wimpy perception and served to be a good sign of the rather depressing life that was coming my way. I can relate quite a lot to your high school experiences and must admit I find it comfortable thinking the "Holden Caulifield" way. We seem to have already shared a similar pre high school life considering my mom died when I was five. By the way, let me introduce myself, I'm just another high school "phony", as you may find me. I too have a little sister, whom I share my problems with. Speaking of problems, I think we share some common ones like dropping out of school, only once in my case though, and issues with parents, but for different reasons. A notable difference though is that I am much better than you at academics, especially math. I

  • Word count: 2253
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

The Catcher in the Rye Essay

English 3201 January 4, 2006 The Catcher in the Rye Essay Serena Lambe In the 1994 Washington Post critical review "J.D, Salinger's Holden Caulfield, Aging Gracelessly," Jonathon Yardley asserts that The Catcher in the Rye is "an essential document of American adolescence," and that there can be "no question about its popularity and influence." Although this book has been heavily criticised and condemned over the years for being "obscene," having an "excess of vulgar language, sexual scenes, and things concerning moral issues," it is now accepted as a classic piece of literature. The experiences of Holden Caulfield in this novel still resonate with teenagers of today, causing it to be a popular choice of reading material in high schools. Teenagers can relate to Holden's difficulties with growing up and his feelings of lonliness. Furthermore, most teens use their own slang and profanities during conversations and many have to deal with temptations such as alcohol and tobacco. Because of the timeless themes that relate to any typical teenager, this book has endured many years and will continue to do so for a long time. The difficulties which Holden faces due to growing up are universal among all teenagers. As teens

  • Word count: 1655
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Catcher In The Rye - review.

Mark Barton 12TT 8TH September 2003 Catcher In The Rye When the Catcher In The Rye was first published it became steeped in an overwhelming amount of controversy and was consequently banned in America after it's first publication. John Lennon's assassin, Mark Chapman, asked the former Beatle to sign a copy of the book earlier in the morning of the day that he murdered Lennon. Police found the book in his possession upon apprehending the psychologically disturbed Chapman. However, the book itself contains nothing that could be associated with leading Chapman to act as he did, it could have been any book that he was reading the day he decided to kill John Lennon, and as a result of the fact that it was The Catcher in the Rye, a book describing a nervous breakdown, the media picked up on the "connection". This gave the book even more intrigue, as in the world we live in, any bad news is good news, and unfortunately The Catcher In The Rye was associated with this bad news, and was unfortunately banned, but re-released seven years after the incident in 1958. The book describes the story of Holden Caulfield, a teenager growing up in 1950s New York, who has been expelled from his "prep" school for poor achievement once again. Holden has been expelled from many schools previously as a result of his poor achievement, which is a possible

  • Word count: 1071
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

The Catcher in the Rye - Consider and discuss 5 or 6 episodes in the book, which reveal different aspects of Holden Caulfield's character

2/2/2001 Coursework essay: The Catcher in the Rye Consider and discuss 5 or 6 episodes in the book, which reveal different aspects of Holden Caulfield's character By Felix Crosse The Catcher in the Rye is a story surrounding about three days of the main character's (Holden Caulfield) life. The story is written from the point of view of Holden Caulfield, but in the past tense, so it seems that Holden is telling the story from past experience. Using that way of describing the events creates a very potent point of view for the story, resulting in what can only be described as an excellent read. In this essay, I will write about a number of passages or episodes from the book, in relation to Holden, his character, and all the other characters featured. Holden, in his narration reveals a lot of details during conversations, and that is one of many reasons why I have chosen passages to do with conversations (to use in the essay). Possibly the most important part of the essay is the choice of passages. Each section shows individual points about Holden's character, and it is important to portray as much of him as is possible. Holden seems to be a very curious personality. Throughout the book, he seems to be full of confidence, however, at the same time; he appears to be an introvert with his real personality, and feelings, never showing how he really feels. In the whole book, he

  • Word count: 2331
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay

Normalcy in The Catcher in the Rye

Normalcy in The Catcher in the Rye. Rebellion is when one refuses to accept authority. The transition of childhood into adulthood is most often represented by actions of rebellious nature. Quentin Crisp, an English writer once said, "The young always have the same problem-how to rebel and conform at the same time. They have now solved this by defying their parents and copying one another." Crisp is explaining how teenagers think they rebel in groups, when in reality they conforming because they are all following one another. The average teen is always looking for away to escape conformity. Two works that express a common theme of rebellion vs. conformity are The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and "Prayer of the Refuge" by Rise Against. They express this common theme through external conflict and imagery. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye the main character, Holden Caulfield, goes through many hardships in trying to search for his place in society. Holden rebels throughout the whole book against rules, schools, and people that he encountered. In the early 1950's it was very difficult to be unique during this time of conformity. An example of external conflict was Holden's date with sally. At the end of their date, Holden shares a dream of running away with her to escape the normalcy in everyday society, "I have about a hundred and eighty bucks in the bank. I can take

  • Word count: 1023
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: English
Access this essay