The Cathcher inThe Rye

 Introduction

The Catcher in the Rye was authored by JD Salinger in 1946. It was listed as one of the powerful book in the 29^th century. Despite the popularity it gains, the novel has brought up some criticisms and controversies. It has been criticized for its themes which are anger, rebellion, sexuality and confusion. It has been sold for millions of copies and has been used as most frequent challenged book from 1990 to 1999. it was the most censored book in the US because many believed that the character has given poor role model to the readers. Apart from that, Mark David Chapman who was arrested for John Lennon’s death had a copy in his hand while the event took place. This novel is believed to have given powerful effects to its readers. 

Book review

The main character is Holden Caulfield. He is a protagonist in this novel. He is a teenager who went to Pencey Prep in Pennsylvania. He lived with the students of Pencey Prep whom he described as superficial or ‘phony’. He started the his story with semi autobiography of him. Holden talks about the event took in the last Christmas. He leaves the school in the middle of the night after having an argument with his roommate. Then he went to see Mr Spencer before leaving Pencey Prep. After a discussion on his matter, Holden said good bye to Mr spencer. He started his journey by taking train to New York.

 In the train he met with another student’s mother called Ernest Morrow. They talk about Ernerst all the way until Mrs Morrow got off the train at Newark. Arrving at the Penn Station, Holden did not want to go to his home, instead he checked into Edmont Hotel where he spends his time with three tourist girls. He then bumped into a prostitute named Sunny.  He invited Sunny into his room and acknowledged him as Jim Steele. He wanted to talk to Sunny instead of getting intimate but she was furious and annoyed. She left him eventually but Holden still pays her time. She demanded more money and when Holden refuses to pay, He was beated by the ‘elevator boy’, Maurice. 

In between he was describing the event, he also talks about the cab driver who sent him to Edmont Hotel. They came across Central Park and he asked the river where does all the ducks go in winters. Holden spends three days in the city with cigarettes, alcohol, depression and loneliness. Eventually, he sneaks into his parents’ house while they are out having dinner. He is there to talk to his younger sister, Phoebe Weatherfield Caulfield. She is the only one who seem to can communicate with Holden as he believed that she is untainted with ‘phony’. Phoebe views Holden as a hero as well as Holden views her as one. Based on Robert Burns: Coming through the Rye, he explained that Holden views himself as a guardian of numerous children running and playing in a huge rye field on the edge or a cliff. His job is to catch the children if they wander closer to the brink, hence the catcher in the rye.

After that, Holden drops by to see a former English Teacher, Mr Antolini. Mr Antollini has offered some advice and offer a place to stay. Mr Antollini tells him that he must know where he is planning to go, which is applying a school. He has to do that because he knows that Holden loves knowledge. He told him that the stronger man who lives humbly for a cause that he believes in, rather than dies nobly for it. Holden becomes uncomfortable when Mr Antolini pat his head which he assumes as making a sexual move on him. He leaves a question to the readers whether to believe it or not. He leaves Mr Antolini’s house and wander around the city. 

Holden decided to hitch hike out west and he tells her sister in a letter. In the letter he asks her sister to meet him at the Museum of art. Phoebe wants to go with him but he refuses to take her. Phoebe becomes upset and he told her that he will not go. He takes Phoebe to the Central Park Zoo and he eventually decided to go home and face the consequences. In the 26 chapter, which is the last chapter, Holden refuse to tell what happens after he got home. He mention about he was sick and living in a mental hospital and how he is supposed to go to a school the next fall. Holden tells about his older brother DB and his girlfriend who came up to visit him at the institution. He misses Stradlater and Ackley (his former classmates) and even the ‘elevator boy’, Maurice. He ended his story with a quotation saying that “Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody”.

           

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