Book Review - the Catcher in the Rye

Book Review On The Catcher in the Rye

Introduction

Jerome David Salinger was born in New York City in 1919. Salinger grew up in a wealthy neighborhood in Manhattan and spent his youth being moved between various prep schools. After graduation he attended a bundle of colleges without graduating from any of them. He continued to write as he joined the army and fought during WWII. After his return back to normal life in 1946, Salinger wrote more stories. In 1951, Salinger published his only full-length novel, The Catcher in the Rye.

In the novel, such autobiographical details like Holden Caulfield moves from one prep school to another are transfered into a post-World War II setting around the 1950s. It was published at a time when the industrial economy made the nation prosperous and established a code of behavior for the younger generation. Because Salinger used slang and offensive words in his text and discussed adolescent sexuality in an open way, The Catcher in the Rye provoked great controversy upon its release. The book was--and continues to be--banned in some communities. Though controversial, the novel was a hugely popular bestseller. It seemed to gain popularity especially among young college students as an underground best-seller.

It is written in the first person point of view, narrated by a young man named Holden, containing typical teenage idioms and colloquial expressions, with swear words, repetition and exaggeration. The narrator, a 16 years old boy, is innocent and lonely. He is completely isolated with nobody to talk to and get help from. He wants honesty, friendship and is afraid of change and growing up. He wants to be a catcher in the rye, to protect the innocent young kids.