Salinger uses the English language in a way I've never seen. He makes a sixteen year old boy (seventeen as the narrator) who is both perceptive and insensitive into an endearing character. Holden Caulfield narrates the days following his expulsion from a young men's preparatory school. He comes from a family that is well-off, but he makes it clear that he doesn't buy into the lifestyle (even though he kinda does). Holden describes anyone who is not true to themselves as a 'phony', which he believes is everyone, except maybe his little sister, Phoebe who he is enamored with. Ya know, it's funny, Salinger manages to take this self-involved young man and make him endearing. Also, I could totally relate to Holden. Feeling lost, feeling distant, feeling depressed, on the verge of being clinically insane. Sorry to be vague here folks, but totally been there. I have been through all the emotions Holden went through. He is not an icon to teens because he's cool and rebellious. He is an icon because he is every teen.Some things that struck me while reading The Catcher in the Rye:
Salinger gives Holden an everyday sort of language. This made it all real. The book is complex in occurrences, yet simply prolific in message. Strange thoughts of death, protecting children, bashing phonies...
I believe some people will get nothing more than annoyance out of this book. Yay, good for you, you have your life together and don't have time for the shenanigans of hopeless teenagers. Good for you. The rest of us though, the rest of us need this book. I NEEDED this book.
I needed someone to say the things most other people don't have the guts to do.
I needed someone to want to protect my childhood innocence.
I needed someone to keep me from falling off the cliff.
I needed my own catcher.
I'm with you, this is one of my all time favorites. I remembered liking it in high school, but when I stared looking up quotes to put in one of my novels I fell in love with it again.
ReplyDeleteSome great lines in this book and what I love is that Holden lies to himself, in the narration almost as much as he does to everyone else. Its a unique POV and something that could be done again but with a modern twist.
Wow, what a review. Now I HAVE to read this book. And you liked it better than the Road? That is my all time favorite.
ReplyDeleteJulie - I agree, the quotes out of context are extraordinary, but within the text are just plain brilliance. I agree about liking when Holden lies to himself, I do so all the time.
ReplyDeleteI think an updated version would not work because the language that Salinger uses is specific to that era, but happens to be the perfect tone for his message. It just wouldn't work today if recreated. I'd love to be proved wrong, though.
Crystal - I like the writing better than that of THE ROAD, but...the emotion from THE ROAD makes it the most powerful book I've read. It remains on top.
ReplyDeleteSo, tell us what you really thought! :) I love it when books elicit STRONG emotion! I'm going to have to reread this one, because I honestly cannot remember what I thought of it when I read it. Thanks for putting it all out there!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I ever read it. I'll have to pick it up.
ReplyDeleteI think my english teacher assigned this right after Grapes of Wrath, which I HATED. So I no longer trusted her book selections.
Darn it! Now I want to read it! Curse you, Jon! I don't have time to read anything. I don't even have time to read blogs anymore (notice how I'm reading yours anyway *wink*). Ugh. *trudges away angrily*
ReplyDeleteI will re read this. I read it so long ago. I do remember loving it.
ReplyDeleteTHE CATCHER IN THE RYE is one of my top ten. Holden is human. Intuitive, oblivious, radical, conventional, self-involved. You say it beautifully: Holden "is an icon because he's every teen." I'm terrified of anyone who reads this book and suggests it's "only for teens." I hope and pray these people are NOT parents because they're so removed from what it was like. Is Holden self-indulgent? You bet. Is he in Hell? Absolutely.
ReplyDeleteGreat review, Jon. Definitely a book I need to add to me reading or rereading list. I can't remember if I read it in highschool or not. There are definitely reasons some books never go out of print.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Catcher in the Rye. I wrote a ten page paper on in my senior year in high school. It's pretty much a timeless book. I'm glad my English teacher had it as one of the options of books to read for our reseach papers.
ReplyDeleteI also loved The Road!
I always loved the title. Catcher in the Rye. It is such an image, both creepy hidden, but also sweet that he wants to protect the kids.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you loved it so much. Like everyone else I now want to read it again.
I'm amazed so many people found my words motivating...I'm still trying to figure out what I meant. I hope to hear your thoughts on the book soon AKA I hope you pick it up soon.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I better read it...again. Yeah, again. I think I read it once, a long time ago. But to top The Giver? Are you sure about that? Like, super sure, or you're just feeling catchy right now? ;-)
ReplyDeleteStellar non review, Jon.
ReplyDeleteI did read that book. And I can't remember it that well. Either my memory just plain sucks (probably true) or it didn't hit me like it hit you since I was a teenage girl reading it.
Wow. I feel bad that I haven't read this yet. Awesome NonReview!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry. When I dropped by this morning, I forgot to mention I stuck you with... uh, awarded you the "Creative Writer" Blogger Award again. I linked to your February answers, although if you want to dive into another six untruths - feel free.
ReplyDeleteAnd since I'm here... IMO The Catcher in the Rye is every bit as important as The Giver. The audiences are so different, though. Is it fair to compare?
Elana - I didn't say better than THE GIVER, but my list is mostly based of my personal reaction/experience. While THE GIVER is an extraordinary work, it didn't bore its way into my heart the way Holden's prolific confusion in life did.
ReplyDeleteKelly - I do agree that you being a teenage girl may change your perception or reception of the book, but I am highly interested to hear what the young woman version of you has to say. Please oblige.
ReplyDeleteThanks for calling me a young woman. :)
ReplyDeleteVR - In general, the audience between THE GIVER and THE CATCHER IN THE RYE may be different, but this audience, me, has used emotion to gauge books. I am not the type of person to dissect a novel to discover its themes and symbols. I know I should be, but currently, I am not. All I know how to recognize are emotions. My emotions. I may not know what emotions I am feeling at the time or why the hell I am crying about a sixteen year old boy going to a mental institute. (It happened, in two different books) I may never know why I totally miss the point of a book and find something else, something no one seemed to see, maybe I'm just crazy...maybe it's all for a reason...but maybe we'll never know...
ReplyDeleteI'm like some of the others and "think" I read this, but can't remember. How pathetic is that. Just goes to show you where my mind was in high school. Cliff Notes! Thanks for your NonReview, Jon. Loved it!
ReplyDeleteRena - I don't find it pathetic, but I do believe it reflects either where your mind was or what you thought of the book...here's your opportunity to make the choice.
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