This book has a deeper message then meets the eye. after reading it, i thought, what was the point of this? I felt that it never went anywhere the entire time, until i looked deeper in certain chapters and quotes, i looked up on websites which analyzed the book more clearly and it opened my eyes to the pure message of this book.

Remember the past… Imagine you were a child, what kind of life did you have? What kind of childhood did you have? Do you remember? The book The Catcher In The Rye runs through a variety of experiences that you could have experienced. It starts out with an average 15-year-old boy who is our protagonist. He gets kicked out of school. He had decided to go back home, along the way meeting a few quirky characters that you may have met. The book is aimed at teenagers of this time or people who would have had a similar childhood. Readers would be allowed to compare their childhood to this. Teenagers would be able to see the hardships of earlier years and what they could or have already experienced could be examined. The story itself has a strong alcohol and smoking influence. Parents who would want to teach their kids to act responsible with the 2 factors are advised to read the book. Teen family issues are also addressed, as the protagonist does not want the parents to know about him getting kicked out. Whether this is an issue or is relevant to teenage pride today is your own opinion. Holden has a lot of ideas on society at the time, about language and phonies. Holden says most of this directly “… With Dr Thurmer some weeks ago. They’re Grand people”. “… Grand. There’s a word I really hate. It’s a phony.” The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger runs through the basic stereotypical ideas of a teenage life. The story stars off slow, but it grows stronger in the middle till the end. It is a good read.

I had to read this book as a freshman in high school, and I can appreciate the content. There is some excessive swearing, but the story is told from the viewpoint of a cynical teenager; therefore, swearing should be expected. When Holden gets beyond curious/desperate, he hires a prostitute and talks to her for the whole night. Just talks. Overall, if you are open to the idea that human nature is available for analysis, this book provides serious insight into human nature.

We read this for my senior year and the moment i read the first swear word, i was turned off- COMPLETELY. I begrudgingly read the book and was completely appauled by what i was reading. Chapter 6 has 61 swear words in it alone! in my book, that was about 6 pages averaging 10 swear words a page. Instead of getting a test on the book and all the underneathness that there is behind the book, my english teacher decides us to write a critical anaylasis paper reguarding an issue or topic of the book of our choice. i hated the book to begin with, why would i want to write a 3-5 page paper about it? i was last to come up with my thesis which took several revisions before actually getting to the approved one. Here are a few passages from my paper: " This crude display of a teenage boy from the 50’s shouldn’t be allowed for children to read about because Holden is totally inappropriate for all his swearing and all his explicit references to sex. Sure movies today that kids see do that stuff but it’s really is completely repelling and repulsive because it’s bad enough that it’s being thrown at our younger generation, there shouldn’t be a verbal idea of what Holden or his friends do, with girls. Who, if you went out and surveyed people on the streets, from all age groups, actually wants to hear about that? The best parts in the book were when you read about Holden’s childhood memories of Jane Gallagher in chapter 11, pages 76-80 and when he was with his younger sister, Phoebe—at the end of the book—chapter 21 pages 158-180! Catcher is plagued with an over abundant negativity swallowing what little positivity the book does hold in it; therefore, making the book less pleasurable to delve into and especially difficult to see what’s really happening! [...] All of Holden’s swearing and talk of sex and super pessimistic, unenthusiastic attitude can really burden a person and the text. I mean there’s just a few more really nice things to read about with Phoebe but not majorly huge if you proportioned it to the rest of awfulness resonating in Holden’s life. You miss the whole fact that Holden is going through teen depression! That’s what the whole book is showing. But it’s super easy to miss with all the putridness that’s happening in the story. Why exactly did J.D. Salinger decide for Holden’s story to be that way? That’s almost like trying to figure out if "Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll is a book for adults, or a book for children. It really is a mystery. But you are the ultimate judge on whether this book, "Catcher in the Rye", is a good book or not. That all lies on personal opinion. I myself find it the absolute worst book I’ve ever read right up there above "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding and "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls. So is it a bad book with little good parts or a good book with lots of bad parts? " I mean my friend loved the book. I couldnt get past the swearing and sex-talk-AND IM 17!! I didnt hate the entire book tho. i really loved the jane gallagher flashback and the stuff with phoebe-but that was it. i dont see the whole hoopla about the book. i would have been suuuuuper content with a censered book to read. i myself went through depression and the lose of someone who was practically my brother, but i related nothing to Holden in the slightest. if i would have read the book on my own (which is highly doubtful after the first page) i would have missed 100% that Holden was suffering from depression. its just so hidden. this is no quick, fun, light read so if thats the kind of book you're looking for, youre in the wrong place. but if you want to find a deeper meaning in a book, and can stand sex-talk, swearing, smoking and drinking in what i would consider a fictional character who's still a child, then be my guest!

This book was FULL of profanity and innuendos. The main character lives an immoral few days in the city thinking of nothing but sex and lying his way through everything without consequences. The writing was so poor that the only new vocabulary your child could pick up are things their teacher's will call you about when they use them at school. Worst book ever!

Poor Holden is a depressing character that I want to help get better. No one seems to care about his behavior to help him.

this is the most ridiculous book i have ever read,all it is about is a whiny teen whose parents are rich and is in a private school but still complains about every thing this book is in no way good for a lesson or even worth being described as a masterpiece

The idea contained herein is to give a view into the human condition. This is done by one teenager ranting and raving about how crappy his life is. Point 1 - If your life is not crappy you are most likely in denial. Your average reader with a positive review of this book is a "phony" as described in the book. They put on a false face for the betterment of themselves. If they aren't a phony, they are the kid himself-a whiny brat so absorbed in himself and the way people are that he keep ranting about it for a full weekend. Instead of doing something about it or making some sort of decision about how he should live his life, he yaks about it for three days. Point - 2 A book about one kid yapping incessantly is not a masterpiece. Its a modicum of garbage only good for occupying the time of upper-class twits too stupid figure things out for themselves. Usually these point systems come in threes-I guess the third point would have to be how outdated this piece of crap is. It's written in an uneducated slang that hasn't been used widely for several decades. Point 3 - Reading out of touch novels only puts you more out of touch.