Catcher In The Rye, reviewed by Carl Wohlforth

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I just read this modern classic for the first time. My daughter brought the book home recently after reading it for school. High School teachers have assigned this book at least since I went to High School more than 30 years ago. I knew people who read it and had heard of it time and again over the years but never read it until now.

Sixteen year old Holden Caulfield talks about the few days between his getting kicked out of Pencey Prep and his getting back home with his family. Everybody he came into contact with was phony. Everything bored him. He exaggerates everything. Though apparently smart he just got kicked out of school for academic failure. This was the fourth time he got kicked out.

It surprises me that so many people still relate to his alienation considering his privileged upbringing and the dated scenes and habits. Holden is a heavy smoker. He has enough money to live the high life in New York City for several days. The money and attendance at Pencey prep (and 3 other private schools) identified you as upper class in a society where class distinctions were more rigid than they are today. I attended a prep school in the '70s. It was a day school. Holden went to an all boys boarding school. I felt alienated and that adults were hypocritical. Even with the similar background I have a hard time identifying with Holden. He seems like another spoiled child with distant parents who is to weak make a stand, to weak to carry through his thoughts. Holden should quit school and make a new life for himself or he continue with school, play the game and accept the role given him.

Holden didn't want to talk about his past. It does come out a brother he cared for deeply died. He doesn't want to talk about the future. He just spends money drinking, smoking and thinking about sex. He gets ripped off by a prostitute when he chickens out from an opportunity to lose his virginity. He is just as phony and hypocritical as everybody he complains about.

It seems the only person he truly cares about is his sister. Phoebe agrees to run away with him. This changed his mind and got him to go home and face the music. He was so spoiled the music was never going to be bad or painful anyway. At the end he gets sent to California to "rest." He mentions a psychoanalyst and that his brother comes to visit him.

I am glad I finally read The Catcher in the Rye. I imagine as it continues to age it will start dropping off High School reading lists. If your child is reading it you really ought to do the same and talk with them about it. If you were an alienated youth or are curious about that state of mind you might want to read this book.

The Catcher in the Rye read October '09 - Recommended

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