The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Kathy

I enjoyed this the first time I read it and like you, I didn’t enjoy it so much when I re-read it as an adult.

Steph

I’ve read this one twice – once when I was maybe 9 or 10 (seriously… but I loved it!) on my own, and then again when I was 16 for an English class in highschool, when I loved it just as much. I don’t know that I related to Holden, but I just loved Salinger’s writing, and well, actually, I think I did feel some of that anger and rage that Holden has boiling inside of him (I certain quoted from the book in my highschool yearbook upon graduation). That said, the book didn’t corrupt me (I don’t think), as I didn’t drop out of school or try to kill myself or others, or engage in any other shockingly “immoral” behavior, so I’m with you on the “take that, book banners!” parade. Really, all Catcher did for me was provide me with a book that I treasured and enjoyed reading, and if it can offer the same to other readers, then I say it still has value! (Oh, and I read it in the ’90s, and was clearly not alienated by Holden’s 1940′s antics).

The thing is, we read so many classics when we’re in school, whether they’re Shakespeare or Dickens/Austen/Doestoevsky/Fitzgerald/Twain etc., and I don’t think the reason why some students dislike those books is because they are incapable of relating to them. Give students more credit than that! We can learn about other times and places through books, and I think that honestly the essence of Holden’s character (if not his exploits in particular) will still resonate with the modern teen. Because teens are balls of emotion, often filled with anger and confusion, they’re trying to figure out who they are, where they fit in, and who they want to be. If that isn’t what Holden is going through in Catcher, then I guess I don’t know what that book is about.

That being said, I could see the value of potentially reading Catcher alongside a more modern novel, comparing and contrasting the two. I think the key is to keep throwing books at kids & teens (though not literally, I suppose…) to see what sticks. If you offer a wide array of reading options, then they’re bound to find SOMETHING they like, and maybe they’ll discover that reading is something that can be enjoyed!

Jodie

I’m wasn’t a big Catcher fan, but I suspect if I read it now I might be (I’m more emotional now hehe). Something I’ve slowly learned is that sometimes it’s a good idea to put a book you dislike back on the shelf, instead of forcing yourself to finish it, one day it might be more your cup of tea (and saying that I feel I really need to try On the Road again).

Emily

I’m glad you ended up feeling some connection with the novel, even if you didn’t love it as much this time around!

Personally, I don’t think the seeming lack of response to Catcher is kids failing to respond to Salinger in particular. I think it’s kids being angsty and cantankerous, and feeling hostile toward anything they’re “forced” to read…just like Holden Caulfield would have done. I loved Salinger’s book when I read it at 14 (in the 90s), but it wasn’t assigned reading for me; I picked it up on my own. I felt honor-bound to hate everything assigned to me. I mean, plenty of books and movies are still being made on this model, and are apparently relatable: Rick Moody’s The Ice Storm, David Mitchell’s Black Swan Green, and the films Igby Goes Down and Rushmore are a few recent iterations that leap to mind, not to mention TV shows like The OC. I haven’t seen the latter, but all the others involve at least as much angst, soul-searching, whinyness, insecurity, etc. as Catcher. And at LEAST as much smoking and drinking. Which I think is absolutely MORE prevalent now than it was in the 40s, personally. At least, my own high school years involved a LOT of that, and more besides.

I think reading Catcher (and even moreso Franny and Zooey) did help me deal with my teenage malaise, because the characters in these books are, as you said, searching for something real in the world, something to which they can relate. The fact that the famous “f word” section in Catcher involves him being frustrated that no place remains unspoiled – it’s so touching to me, because he really wants to find something to believe in. At base it’s not nihilistic at all, which I think something like Igby Goes Down kind of is.

uncertainprinciples

Catcher is one of my all-time favourite books. I love Holden Caulfield, despite the fact that he’s a whiny, and so many of his statements are hypocritical. The whole exchange with Phoebe, where he explains why he wants to be a catcher in the rye, or, for that matter, his reaction to seeing nasty words printed on the bathroom walls at Phoebe’s school, is enough for me to love him!

I read the book at the age of fourteen, for the first time, and have been reading it once a year ever since. Every time I read it, I feel like I take something away from it.

You’re probably right about the book being dated, but, I’m not sure about removing it from Eng Lit in high school. Surely, the way technology has progressed, and where we stand right now negates the “datedness” (is that even a word?) of a lot of classics?

As for whether teens being able to relate to Caulfield… surely every teen will be able to talk about a classmate they can’t stand for s/he’s a “poser”, or, they’ll be able to relate to how Caulfield handles his brother’s unfortunate death. Even his relationship with his sister should be familiar to most people who have an older brother/younger sister. I’m 24, and my brother is still protective of me (not overly protective, but always looking out for me, if you know what I mean?). The way he reacts when he thinks of telling his parents about his expulsion just adds to the normal “teen” feel – no teen ever wants to disappoint their parents, but some teens just seem to make a habit of it, inadvertently. It’s almost endearing.

I, for one, would hope that every teenager reads Caulfield, for, he’s one of those characters that one can’t help but love. Or, so I think, anyway!

Deanna

I have not yet read this book. I have heard of it though.
I will say, I have teenage children so your question:
{{Do you think Catcher should be replaced in high school curricula? Can teens relate to it still? }}
Has made the decision for me, I am going to read this book.
Thanks for the review.