Thread: The Catcher in the Rye

Our class had to read this in 11th grade. Maybe it was the fact we had to read it...but I found it kind of boring. Perhaps if I gave it another read these 4 years later I would appreciate it better.

Holden Caulfield seemed so familiar, so very identifiable at times when I read it years ago.

lol such Phoniness.
*puts on red hunting cap* * Wonders if there would ever be a movie?
Hope not.

The novel was also banned in some countries because of its bold and offensive use of language; the word “goddamn” appears 255 times in the goddamn book.

Teh Intarweb is way worse.

We should ban 1984 because it incites rebellion against the ruling class.

This is probably what everyone says, but I found Holden eerily familiar, like it was me, but not me. But yeah, great book.

Read it as part of the syllabus a year or so ago.

Unquestionably one of my favourite books. So yes, I thought it was quite good.

hmm, I wonder why everyone here and some people in my class felt like they could identify with him but I didnt....

Originally Posted by tkdyo

hmm, I wonder why everyone here and some people in my class felt like they could identify with him but I didnt....

Read it again. This time read it because you want to read it. Try to engage with the text.

Being able to closely relate to and identify with characters in literature doesn't happen all that often, but Salinger is an able enough writer to pull it off in Catcher.

Regardless, there are other ways to appreciate it as a fine piece of literature. You don't have to empathise with the character to see that.