Catcher in the Rye

[downing]

http://wiredforbooks.org/ianhamilton/ second interview is about J D Salinger.

[bounty]

i see "poor, wouldnt recommend it" is in a tie for third place...i wonder how many more times i can go in and vote for that choice until its #1?!

[kelby_lake]

An equal amount love it as those who hate it.

[DapperDrake]

An equal amount love it as those who hate it.

And that's the sign of a good book, books that appeal to everyone are by definition somewhat bland.

I loved it Holden reminds me a heck of a lot of myself in many ways, I always find it helps if you can identify with or at least understand the protagonist.
Without the insight into Holden's thoughts on his existence this book would of been rather poor, its aptly named "The Catcher in the Rye" as this thought of Holden's really sum's him up and sum's up the whole point of the book.

[muchado22]

honestly, i thought holden to be a bit too angsty for my taste. yet, for me, that is the pot calling the kettle black. the realism is in the angst; holden's suffering is mostly self-inflicted as is life for most teenagers. however, there is contribution from outside influences.

[NAboy19]

Can anyone please give me a thorough analysis of the philosophical concepts located in Catcher in the Rye??? I'm really struggling with this. Thanks!

[LitNetIsGreat]

Oh, that is a bit heavy for this time of night and I don’t think I have time for a thorough philosophical analysis, been a few years since I read it too.

The first thought that springs to mind is obviously the youthful rebellion against conformity. This is actually quite a constant theme in life I think, the youthful rebellion against the “rules” imposed upon them by their elders and the system.

I doubt it, but maybe you could extend this thought further to encompass a wider rebellion, a sort of counter-culture rebellion or even of the capitalist system? Doesn’t he go on about Hollywood movies at the start of the novel? Though, if I remember correctly I think this is a positive image, an older brother I think, so maybe that wouldn’t fit? The rebellion of youth certainly would. You could read that in a Freudian way too.

Good luck with it anyway.

[FalseReality]

"Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules."

That's the most important sentence in the whole book. It is a sentence that can be found on every page. And of course, Holden's reaction to old Spencer's philosophy is, "game, my ***."

[edit: Isn't it just wonderful that we here pride ourselves on reading the wisest writers of this world, some who have had their whole lifes work censored and blacklisted; and right here on this forum we cover up words and ideas. I can't even quote a book; quote a word that is now acceptable on TV and radio. If you're offended by seeing a synonym for butt, then you most certainly should not be reading the majority of the books discussed on this forum]

[ravilobo]

I am reading the book, finished half of it. I don't know the meaning of the title. Should I wait till the end? (Hope it is not a dumb question)

[novelsryou]

Wait...

[barbara0207]

Yes, wait until Holden explains.

[ravilobo]

All right! I will be waiting…

Loved the book though; it is in my top 10 favorite books now.

[tractatus]

.....

[sjames08]

Can anyone help me with ideas of how to argue whether or not The Catcher in the Rye should be banned for public high schools?

Thanks is advance

[mayneverhave]

I believe the main cause for banning it was obscenity, profanity, etc, specifically the f-word.

Which is ironic because the context in which the f-word is used is one in which Holden is actually disgusted with the word being scribbled seemingly everywhere, especially where little kids can see it.

The case for not banning it? This one should be fairly clear. Book banning/burning is an authoritarian, extremist religious practice that no civilized country should allow.

I'm not sure if it's still being banned today.