Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Sallinger has often been considered one of the most controversial novels of its time. In its pages, sex, drinking, smoking and heavy profanity are depicted, used and referenced. However, don’t be deterred by this; it is a great book.
The protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is a guy with whom most teenagers can identify. Holden is a 16-year-old who is quite smart but has failed out of his school because he hates doing assignments that are superficial and unnecessary. He decides that he doesn’t want to shame his parents by admitting to them that he has failed again, and instead runs away to New York City. With a few hundred dollars to his name he tries to survive in the Big Apple, but finds that all the adults he encountered are all “phonies,” they are not sincere people. He longs to be a kid again and he wishes that he was as innocent and naive as he used to be.
Catcher in the Rye is a great story that is so much more than your average tale of teenage rebellion. It’s a story with a message – don’t grow up too fast, because you might miss something on the way.
