The Catcher In The Rye :: essays research papers

The Catcher in the RyeBy J.D. SalingerThe Catcher in the Rye was an interesting and arguable book. I chose to read the book because of the negative status it has with parents, teachers, and school. I wanted to discover what the roots of this controversy are.The main character who narrates throughout the book, Holden Caulfield, tells active his life sentence before and after he is kicked from Pencey Prep. At Pencey, the only subject he got a decent grade in was English, all others he failed and didnt supply up to regularly. The meat of the book consists mainly of what Holden does and thinks after he leaves Pencey. His internal conflict after leaving is what his parents will think when they find out he had been kicked from another college. The title of the book portrays the best idea of what Holden wants to do with his life. He imagines a group of children playing in a rye field thats adjacent to a cliff. He described himself to his sister as the person that would catch the kids i f they ever got near the edge.This book was truly enjoyable to read, to see Holdens strange and peculiar outlook on life. He had very distinct things that he hated and liked. For example, the only kind of books he enjoyed were books written by his brother, who wrote lilliputian stories. In many parts of the book, he is remembering a girl he once went out with or liked at one time. In one instance he called a girl he had the number of in the middle of the night from a drab hotel room. I think he did this solely to hear a girls voice.The controversy that has arisen from this book also became clear after reading it. Holden has an overall negative attitude about everything and the way he lives his life. Also, his being kicked from colleges numerous times doesnt set a good example either.This novel by J.D. Salinger about a troubled teen is one thats controversial and fun to read at the same time.