Catcher in the Rye

Book Review

By: Sean Pua

About MeReading level:

- Medium to low

Books read in the past

- Number the Stars

- World War Z

- Young Fu of the Upper Young Tze

- Dear Mr. Henshaw

Kinds of literature that I love:

Fictional novels

Romantic novels

Because they are:

-fun

-interesting

-plays with my imagination

Why This novel over anything else?

Because

- I got curious how the book inspired the killer of John Lennon

- People can relate to some aspects of the book

- It is easy to read but at the same time has a deep meaning

Catcher in the Rye

What is it about?

Holden Caufield has a psychological problem. He feels that he’s the catcher in the rye. At first he’s protective of his little sister, Phoebe, but it turns out that he wants to save the whole of humanity from all the bad people or negative things around him. He wants to always protect his sister thinking that the world might do something wrong to his sister. In the long run, if he would see something from others that is against his principles, then he would think badly of you which is bad.

Author: J.D. Salinger

Jerome David Salinger is an American writer who had a lot of success in his early career. Before writing his most famous novel, Catcher in the Rye, he wrote a lot of short stories which were published in Story Magazine during the 1940’s before he began serving in World War II. The success of The Catcher in the Rye led to public attention and scrutiny: Salinger became reclusive, publishing new work less frequently.

Narrative Elements

Setting

One weekend during 1940’s- early 1950’s

New York City

Started in Pennsylvania

Recounts his adventures around New York

Plot

Exposition

Holden starts his story by showing/telling the readers how he dropped out of several schools and how much he hates people around him. Everytime he introduced someone for example Stradlater or Ackley, he would say negative things about them. He proceeds telling his readers that he is again dropping out of Pencey, the school he is in now.

Plot

Rising Action

Holden tells his readers how much he dislikes “phonies” or majority of the people around him. Mostly, he is against the adults around him. And later in the novel, he tells his younger sister how he wants to be the catcher in the rye that he dreamt of. He was telling her that he dreamt that he was stopping all this kids from falling from a cliff which makes him the one saving everyone.

Plot

Climax

This happens when he watches his little sister, Phoebe, riding a carousel. It is an old almost broken down horse carousel. When he saw this he realized that he cant be always there to save/protect his little sister. He cant be the catcher in the rye . This is the climax for me because this is the changing point on how Holden will view things in the future.

Plot

Falling Action

Holden promises his sister that he would never run away again and he would change .

• Resolution- Holden goes home and stays with his

family. It was not stated in the book but we can infer that he is now a more open minded man. He is undergoing treatment and he will be going to a new school where he would stay this time.

Characters

Holden Caufield

He is the narrator of the novel. He is a irresponsible and immature teenager looking to find himself through his journey.

At the beginning of the story, Holden is standing on top of a cliff watching the students form his old school. This shows the separation of childhood and adulthood.

He hates the hypocrisy of the world around him but because of his attitude of staying away from people, he protects himself from pain and disappointment from the world.

Character

Ackely

He the next door roommate of Holden.

He is insecure and he makes up stories of him and his experiences with sex

Stradlater

He is the roommate of Holden

He is handsome,popular, and buff

He dated Jane Gallagher who is Holden’s long time crush.

Characters

Jane Gallagher

Long time crush of Holden.

Spent a lot of time with holden one summer

Never appeared in the novel

Importance: Only one of the few girls he finds attractive and respects.

Characters

Phoebe Caufield

Holden’s 10 year old sister

She is intelligent, clear, and her innocence is the only thing that gives happiness to Holden

Childish and innocent but at times she is more mature than Holden.

Characters

Sally Hayes

An attractive woman that Holden has known and dated for a long time

She is the one Holden runs to when he is bored or problematic

Mr. Spencer

Holden’s favorite teacher

He is unsuccessful with trying to guide Holden to do better in his studies.

Characters

Mr. Antolini

Holden’s English teacher whom he stays for a night when he had no where else to go

He respects him and looks for him for guidance

Maurice

The guy in the elevator who persuades Holden to get a prostitute

Sunny

The prostitute who Holden clumsily wants to try to connect to

Conflict Conflict with Self

In the whole novel Holden is having a hard time dealing with everyday life because of his struggle against himself (psychological problem). He just wants to stay young forever in reference to his childhood. By calling all the people around him “phonies”, he is protecting himself from seeing his own flaws.

Conflict

Holden vs Society

Holden is unable to relate to others except his sister, Phoebe. This shows that Holden never wants to let go of his childhood and grow up at the same time. He does this by ordering alcohol, talking about sex and etc. He wants his sister and everyone around him to keep their innocence because he thinks the real adult life are full of “phonies.”

Point Of View

First person Point of view

The readers are in Holden Caufield’s head/ his perspective.

We know what he does, what he says, and what he thinks about.

The book was made this way to show and make readers understand and see the psychological problem of Holden and for us to understand the way he thinks.

Symbolisms

Holden’s Red Hunting Hat

This is the most recognizable symbols above all. This shows the uniqueness and individuality of Holden compared to others.

The color of the hat is color red is note worthy because maybe this symbolizes innocence because this is the color of Phoebe’s hair. Which shows that he wants to hold on to his childhood and keep his innocence that he had.

Symbolisms

The Museum of Natural History

Holden tells readers that this is one of his favorite places to be in. We can assume that Holden likes this place because everything around him is unchanging. We know that Holden is afraid of change, the unpredictable, and the changing world so this shows that he wants to be in a place where nothing changes.

Symbolisms

The Ducks in Central Park

This is an important part of the book because we see the childish and the eagerness to look for answers in life from Holden. He is usally afraid of change but when it comes to this, he is curious and happy at the same time.

The pond which Holden sees it as partly frozen and partly not frozen shows the transition of childhood and adulthood that Holden is also going through.

Themes

The theme for this novel is that alienation can be used as a form of self protection.

Through out the novel Holden thinks that everyone is below him. He is the only one supirior being because everyone else are phonies. Because of this, he avoids interacting with them. As readers, we can see how painful and hard it is to be in Holden’s shoes. His alienation is both what drives him and destroys him. For example, his loneliness from alienating himself pushes him to date Sally Hayes but at the same time because of his alienation and his need for alienation, he ends up insulting her and driving her away.

LiteratureLiterature for me is something that tickles ones imaginations and creativity through writings. It is something that is enjoyable and has a lot of lessons to be learned from. There is always something to be learned about life in novels, short stories, or anyhting as such.

Catcher in the Rye

This is definitely a work of literature because you can learn a lot from this. It is interesting and it helps you understand some aspects of real life. It opens your eyes to being open minded about things. This is literature in its finest because you have to look at the deeper meaning in each happening and characters.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Salinger

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catcher/