Teen Angst Forever (Lean-n-mean W/O)

Recently, I’ve found The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger on a bookshelf in my local library. I know it’s considered to be a classic, so I was curious as to what made it a classic. I was curious to find out why it was banned, too. Well, that one was easy to figure out – the book describes high-class (so to say) American society as phony, which had made some people unhappy; it also claims it’s possible for the kids of rich parents to get away with torturing a boy so much he finally killed himself, and that is certain to make some people unhappy.

That mystery revealed, what made The Catcher in the Rye a classic? What is it which made it so popular, which makes it so popular some sixty years after it was written? Well, there is the theme of the book – teen angst – which is eternal. There’s good writing, unobtrusive but believable (the book is told from the main character’s – sixteen-year-old’s – point of view). All the characters are realistic and believable and, while there’s no plot in the usual sense of the word, this lack of plot only reflects the confusion of the main character, so it’s actually a plus.

Teenagers (and not only teenagers) often feel lost and confused. They often feel no one understands them, because no one had ever felt like they feel. That feeling makes them wonder if they’re crazy. Well, if your teenage kid feels this way, toss him/her this book; he/she will quickly find out he/she is not alone, that many other youths have felt and feel the same way. And that’s really comforting, not being the only one in all the confusion and all the craziness of the world.

That being said, what’s this book actually about?

The Catcher in the Rye tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year-old; it’s told from a mental institution (it’s not really important how he got there, but you will find that out). The story is about two or three days from Holden’s life, a period from a little before the last Christmas. Holden was kicked out from his prep school for the umpteenth time, but is unwilling to go home and tell his parents. Instead, he takes what little money he has and spends his time in hotels and streets of New York. He’s sick and tired of the lies from all around him (even though he often lies himself); he can’t stand the hypocrites around him any more. He wants to find something or someone that could really mean something to him (well, except for his little sister Phoebe – Holden adores her, but one little sister can’t be your whole life), but is at a complete loss as to what or who that could be. He meets with his ex-girlfriend and some old acquaintances, but none of them, even the willing ones, can help him. He wants to lose his virginity, but is unwilling to do it with a person who means nothing to him. He’s desperately trying to find some values around him, but he sees none, just lies and snobbism. And there’s his obsession with his dead kid brother Allie (this might appeal to Goth kids); Holden really loved Allie and is unwilling to accept his death of leukemia.

Some things happen to Holden; he does some stupid things. He’s wild, daring, and completely out of ideas what to do with himself. What will become of him? Will Holden find answers to his questions? Will he find his way out of misery? The Catcher in the Rye doesn’t answer that. It does, however, give you the only possible honest answer. What is it? Read the book to find out!

This is a great book for teenagers, and also adults who’d like a good, compelling read; anyone under 13 is unlikely to be interested in it. There’s a little sex and violence in the book, but nothing too graphic.

Thanks for reading!