The Catcher in the Rye

It is incredible how Holden Caulfield manages to find something to hate in everyone and everything. Even if people are just living their lives and behaving like actual human beings. Setting aside how the protagonist behaves, I can see how this has become a classic; the unfiltered opinions and insults Holden spews out constantly, how nobody seems to “get him,” and his constant battle with finding discipline and identity, are all aspects that set in stone what it's like to live the worst/best years of one's life.

Holden tries to act maturely but almost always falls flat on his face, he is tied down by his age and immature mannerisms. This “letting go” of childhood and confrontation with the adult world make the book rich with humor and some sensibility. I could really see how Holden missed out on life because of his need to be superior, to not be “phony.”

The Catcher in the Rye is a tale that speaks about people in a way that most of us dare not. This is a story that kills fantasy, one that wants us to confront reality and its horrors.