Title: The Catcher In The Rye
Author: J.D. Salinger
Version I read: Paperback
Pages: 230
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication date: 2019
Muddled Reader Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story Snapshot…
The Catcher In The Rye is a coming of age story that has sold over 65 million copies word wide. It was included on Times 2005 list of the 100 best English language novels written since 1923 and it was named by Modern Library and its readers as one of the 100 best English language novels of the 20th century.
We follow 16 year old Holden Caulfield’s 3 day journey through 1940’s post war New York. He has been expelled from yet another prestigious prep school and doesn’t want to return home just yet to face his disappointed parents. He rambles to us his every thought as he wanders as lonely as a ghost around the busy, chaotic, but ultimately lonely city, some thoughts very amusing, some very sad. This is the story of teenage loneliness, unprocessed trauma, societal expectations and the desire of wanting to hold on to childhood and innocence.
My Reflection…
I knew nothing about this book before I read it, the only thing I knew is that Mark Chapman left it at the scene after he killed John Lennon. Declaring it as his statement and his motive. As a huge Beatles fan I was frightened to read this in case it spelt out for me the reasons why Chapman was encouraged to murder after reading it and becoming obsessed with Holden Caulfield. I genuinely thought this might be the story of a teenager that goes on a killing rampage. When I read the quote, “That’s a deer shooting hat”, “Like hell it is”, “This is a people shooting hat, I said”, “I shoot people in this hat”. I thought the story might take this direction.
I’m so glad to discover this not to be the case. Mark Chapman interpreted this book very wrongly. This is the story of a teenager on the brink of adulthood but not wanting to be. This is the story of unprocessed trauma. The death of his younger brother who Holden doted on and the suicide of his classmate at a previous school weigh heavily on Holden’s depressed mind. Anything adult based is “phony” which I feel is Holden’s protection barrier as he wishes to stay on the child side of the imaginary line.
I’ve since ready many reviews siting Holden as a whiny, petulant teen, and yes at times he is. There is so much more to him though. Remember we are seeing him through his own depressed, reflective state. Holden has much unprocessed trauma. When he was 13, he tells us that he slept in the garage the night his younger brother died of cancer. He broke all the windows in the garage with his fist “Just for the hell of it”. Except it wasn’t for the “hell of it”. He was calling out for help and didn’t know how to express his pain.
I have also read complaints about misogyny; I don’t see that at all. He cares deeply about his younger sister and her happiness. He also cares about a girl named Jane Gallagher and doesn’t like the lack of respect his roommate at school shows her. He has many interactions with females that are highly respectful. His comments about appearance are innocent and teenage like in my opinion. He scrutinises every male character just as much.
I loved Holden’s question about where the ducks go in the winter when the lake is frozen solid. They always return so they must be ok, but where do they go? Holden’s life at this point is full of unwanted change, this seems to be an analogy of sorts. Will he be ok as he crosses into adulthood? Will he survive the harsh elements and make it unscathed?
I gave this book⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
