The Catcher In The Rye - back to this old chestnut again!?

My son's English teacher suggested this book to him as he wanted to broaden his reading spectrum. He is 12, but exceptionally bright at English amongst other things. I had never read the book, so I "speed read" it in about 20 minutes. Having decided it was suitable, I gave it to my son. I thought he would think it boring and that he would read a few pages and give up.

He was completely absorbed! He loves the main character, laughed out loud at some of the descriptive character work, and read it in about 4 sittings!

I have since re-read it properly, and can see what I missed by speed reading, but I don't get it? What's the attraction?

I do understand that it has a social conscience, soem of the characterisation could be called brilliant, but basically it seemed to me to be a rant by a depressed, slightly deranged teen against authority and most of the world (what's new?!)

Is it the time that it was written? 40's /50's America with depressions and changing social landscape? Views?

The Catcher In The Rye - back to this old chestnut again!?
I think that's why it appeals to people of around your son's age. They share similar feelings to Holden about how the world and people in authority are insufferable, and for a lot of young people who haven't quite articulated their feelings of frustration and being treated as children rather than the adults they perceive themselves to be, it can be a revelation. I know that when we discussed this book at university (I did English) the people who had read it as young teenagers said it had changed their lives, whereas those who had come to it later felt that it was... trite.
Reply:what i most recall about the book was the holden's tenderness towards his sister and his desire to protect her from all the ugliness of life. he, of course, was unprepared for and unprotected from it's dishonesty and pain, despite his cynical veneer. Report It
Reply:I just think it's a fantastic book.. It left an impression on me. It is the sort of book that you either connect with or not and you do need a cynical nature to appreciate it. It's a lot more than a depressed rant.



Apparently it's the favourite read of serial killers (????) true...I watched a documentary on it (and it was the BBC... so it must be true!!!) lol
Reply:You hit the nail on the head when you wrote: "but basically it seemed to me to be a rant by a depressed, slightly deranged teen against authority and most of the world" - that's what makes it so attractive for teenagers - every teenager feels they are alone and no-one understands them, and your son is just entering this phase so he feels this book was written specially for him. I read it when I was about 15 and loved it, haven't read it since but I probably wouldn't like it so much now (I'm 38!) But your son is just the right age for it.
Reply:It's about an innocent and good heart abroad in the world of adults, isn't it? - like Vernon God Little. Most will be able to identify with that, due to where they are or where they've been. Be glad your son likes it. Those who can't have either been very lucky or very unlucky, and of the lucky ones you'd have to add the words, "so far". It probably helps to be male also.
Reply:You may think 'what's new?' but a 12 year old won't.
Reply:wow can you teach me how to speed read that fast!
Reply:* SPOILER WARNING*



I'm with you guys. The book does have some pretty insightful passages, but overall the book is not especially interesting. Holden is very whiny and he repeats everything twice, which really got on my nerves. I think another huge reason that I didn't really care for it is because I was quite a rebellious teenager myself and I did WAY more crazy stuff than what everybody considers rebellious in The Catcher in the Rye. I don't exactly consider /not/ sleeping with a hooker and then getting drunk indoors living on the edge. I do think that the era that the book was released and the target age group (teenagers) is was what had such an affect. That and the controversy stirred up by the prim and proper folk. Nothing sells more than controversy.
Reply:I personally don't see all the hype either.



I don't really like Holden. He's a hypocrite and nothing really happens. The whole book is about his three days in NYC, and he doesn't eally get anywhere. Yeah, I guess some of his reflections on certain subjects can be deep, but other than that, I don't see the point in the storyline.
Reply:i read it for the first time about a year ago . from what i remember i think teens would appreciate it more than adults because of the way it is written. how old was jd when he penned this. i couldnt decide if he was a genius or a man with a problem
Reply:Hm...so I guess you missed the "f*** you" part on your first reading--or else you found that "suitable" (at least you're not saying "appropriate"). Personally, I think it's just about the greatest thing ever written--but then, so have a couple assassins of note. If it was merely a case of "the time that it was written," your son probably wouldn't be enjoying it so much--right? And your comment of "what's new?!" is--in a slightly different light--a little thing called "universality." The reason we're back to this old chestnut again is...because this ol' chestnut keeps on deliverin'. But if you don't get it, you ain't never gonna get it (as Louis Armstrong once said, in so many words).