The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger
1951
Around 235 pages
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If you were an angsty adolescent, you probably clicked with this novel, even if it was forced on you in lit class. And if you were like me, you gave a speech about the themes in this story that was so moving, people were shouting "encore!" They were being ironic teenaged dickheads, but still. There was some truth there.
16-year-old Holden Caulfield is depressed and angry at the world. He's expelled from a boarding school in Pennsylvania after failing most of his classes. He thinks everybody is a phony, with the exception of his younger sister Phoebe. I hope I was my brother's Phoebe when he was growing up.
Despite my many rants about Joyce, I do like it when novels develop a distinct vocabulary. Those are the stories that you want to revisit again and again, because it truly feels like you are stepping into another world. Holden is insufferable, making him a very believable teenaged boy. This is a unique take on the coming of age tale, which usually ends with the protagonist changing in some way.
If you don't read this as a teenager, you will likely get too annoyed by Holden's whining to enjoy this very much. But I first read it when I was at my angstiest, so I thought it was brilliant.
RATING: *****
Interesting Facts:
Has sold more than 65 million books.
In 2020, Don Hahn revealed that Disney had almost made an animated movie titled Dufus which would have been an adaptation of The Catcher in the Rye "with German shepherds." Good god.
UP NEXT: The Opposing Shore by Julien Gracq
2 comments:
I think I was one of those who waited too long to read it. Though I had my share of teenage angst, I could barely make it through the novel with the whining. I read it so I would know what it was about. Sigh.
I found this a pleasant enough read, but I couldn't really see why it had the profound effect that it did, inspiring Charles Manson etc. I think I might go back to it one day, read it with a different frame of mind, different expectations, see what I get from it second time around.
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