Most issues with the novel have been about it being either too “violent”, or about the “vulgar language” used. Also, the parents are concerned about the sexual content, the way Salinger questions authority, the way Salinger questions Holden’s morality throughout the book. Throughout the book Holden does curse, a lot. But it isn’t offensive language, it’s mostly just “God damn”, “God dammit”, and “ass”, and because Holden says “god dammit” parents take that as “blasphemous” and “saying the Lord’s name in vain, when it’s not, it’s just Holden being Holden. On the point of the book being blasphemous, on one or two accounts Holden does admit that he’s an atheist but he never bashes the Catholic religion, he simply thinks that the adults in the church are phonies. When Holden has a chat with the two nuns who teach English and History, he’s surprised to find that the nuns are normal. “Oh, Romeo and Juliet! Lovely! Didn’t you just love it?” She certainly didn’t sound much like a nun.” (Salinger, 111) He has an image of what the nuns should be and it’s broken with how that one nun loves Romeo and Juliet which Holden deems “sexy”. The encounter with the nuns shows no sign of blasphemy; it only shows is respect for them as people. Another concern was the violence. In total, there are two fight scenes, when he gets punched my Stradlater, and when Maurice punches him in the gut, that’s it. “I tried to sock him…right smack in the toothbrush, so it would split his goddamn throat open” (Salinger, 43). Yes that quote is violent but with the times now violence is nothing. Video games, T.V., entertainment like that, violence is like second nature. When the novel came out it was the time if the Civil Unrest. The KKK was hanging people in backyards, burning people on the street, beating people up, violence everywhere, and parents accused the book of being “excessively violent”. Those were times of times of pure violence and these parents are trying to get a book with minimal violence off schools shelves. The last major concern of the book was, I believe, was the language. With god dammit being thrown around left and right it’s understandable to be a little iffy about the book, but it’s no reason to have it banned. One school board in New Jersey was contemplating whether to ban it or keep the book, and a factor if it should stay or go was the language, and a student went to the meeting and begged for the board to “over look the words”. In any case of whether something should be banned or not, language should not be a factor. Over the years cursing is being thought of loosely, as an example, on the show Hannah Montana the main character Miley called another girl a “dirty tramp” and no concern was brought to that. The only concerning word in the novel would be the use of “Fuck you”. “I went down by a different staircase, and I saw another ‘Fuck you’ on the wall. I tried to rub it off…but this one was scratched on” (Salinger, 202). The thing about the quote is that Holden is trying to rub it off; he’s trying to save the kids from seeing it. But parents are so hung up by the fact that it says “Fuck” they miss the point and get upset. We need this book in every school’s curriculum because it’s relatable, and can connect with kids. Adults just need to get over the fact that the book has meaning, it has sad parts but it also has life lessons, it’s not just sunshine and rainbows because real life isn’t like that.
The Catcher in the Rye is an iconic book because it teaches the reader life lessons, important ones too. Its message about growing up and how you can’t preserve a child’s innocence forever is important and can relate for any generation. When Holden is in New York and he’s near the lake in Central Park he comments that the “lake was partly frozen, partly not” (Salinger, 154). Partly frozen partly not is the transition from being a kid to an adult, having innocence and then losing it. Parents by banning the book believe they are keeping their children safe from sexual situations, violence, blasphemy, and vulgar language. All these situations that are in the book come with growing up and no matter how long you prolong it, it will still happen to your child. Holden’s most blissful moment is watching little Phoebe on the carousel trying to reach the golden ring and he realizes that people grow up and life goes on and it all ends up okay. Kids need to know, kind of like a heads up that this is life, and if children in high school can get past the sex, and the language, and the mild violence and understand the meaning of the book then they get a lesson that last forever. That’s why we need this book in out curriculum, to know its okay to grow up.
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a great book that should be read for years and years to come. It being banned multiple times on different occasion’s shows how powerful the book really was and is. J.D. Salinger said “I'm aware that many of my friends will be saddened and shocked, or shock-saddened, over some of the chapters in . Some of my best friends are children. In fact, all my best friends are children. It's almost unbearable for me to realize that my book will be kept on a shelf out of their reach.” Great literature shouldn’t be kept out of reach because of a few minor details. Adults need to accept the fact that the world isn’t perfect. You can’t protect your kids forever; no matter how hard you try.
