Don’t read it. I don’t know how they decide on what’s a “classic,” but I thought the book was boring. My main complaint is that the book is pointless. There’s no driving force behind the plot. None of the themes are truly addressed. The characters are quite forgettable.
Basically, the plot follows the meandering of this one kid. The events are disjointed. None really affect the other.
[to be continued tomorrow]
[EDIT: 10/20/03 – Instead of looking for part two, read this entry, instead.]
The story in the beginning is bad, but it gets so good, because you get trapped up in the mind of this kid, who doesn’t even understand who he is, and it helps you better understand yourself. Look into the symbolism in the book too, it is just great
The book is more than just good, Holden symbolizes a part of everybody’s life: rebellion, rejection, loneliness and looking for ones true identity are something that we all experience and can relate to in the book. The catcher in the rye is a book that takes more than a skim read to understand and respect- Anti capitalist attitudes and values, views on religeon, and a general critique of an 1950’s american society that is still relevant today is what Holden Caulfield is all about. and its funny too.
You know what’s weird about this book. Is that the guy that shot JFK read this book right before shooting him. Think about that. What part of the book would make someone kill someone else?
dont know if thats true about jfk, but i know that the guy who shot john lennon was inspired to kill him because of this book, and then sat down and read it until the cops came.
the book is very interesting but wierd in a awy. Overall I thought the book was ok not that great!
I thought this book was amazing. The thought that the third-most banned book in America is still one of the must-read books in the world seems scary but the book is comepletely harmless. As a rebelious teeneager, I was ecstatic when my teacher told me we would read the book that was the testimate for the murders of Lennon and JFK as well as the attempted assassination of Reagan. This book was beautiful because of how a boy that’s not innocent wants to be the protector for all innocense. The characters are memorable but the message is what matters most.
Jenna- 16, Canada
“Catcher in the rye” drove Lee Harvey Oswald to kill JFK because he clearly saw JFK as a “Phoney”. “Phoney people” is the one thing “Houlden Caulfield” hates more than anything else. Lee Harvey Oswold obviously set out be “Catcher in the Rye” defending the innocent from probably one of the biggest “Phoneys” of the Twentieth century President John F Kennedy. “The catcher in the rye” is a brilliant book, the way in which it deals with the problems faced by most adolescent males, in a none “phoney” truthful manner. If you understand what its like to be under age in a bar “drunk as a bastard” trying to work out where the hell your life is going then you will understand what J.D.SALINGER is saying in “The Catcher in the Rye”.
I think anyone who didn’t like this book is crazy. There is so much depth that goes into this book. How many people knew that Holden has Peter Pan Syndrome and how many people know where the title came from? The title is ironic to the book and everything about the book serves a purpose. It is more than just swearing and a bratting teenager, he is trying to find himself in a world where he feels like he doesn’t belong. Everyone forgets what it is like to be a teenager. It’s hard when your trying to find your self and this book shows that.
This book is driving me carazy. Everytime I take a break from reading it i get kinda zoned out. I don’t even want to read it but I have to, it for my Fianls. This book is drving me freaken crazy, or maybe is the the limited time i have to in reading it thats driving me nuts. And i aslo have heard my teacher say something about someone killing someone after reading this book. So I go on google and type in the words “the catcher in the rye inspired to kill” and this web site pops up as one of the options. And really i am freaking out about the comments i read. I have also been having nightmares becasue i go to sleep reading htis book. The same dream . . . that this ghost or this voice is telling me what to do. It leaves me clues and i do what the clues tell me. Yeah i know it sounds crazy but i had this dream like 2 times already. First i was like in this mountain and this man than i couldnt see ( the voice) was telling me how to cross this bridge safely. the second time i fell asleep reading this book i was in an art school with my art teacher. and again, the man that i couldt see (the voice)kept bothering me, but this time he wasnt being helpful, he was being scary, telling me to let him in my house and to oppen my window. i DONT KNOW HOW I GOT FROM THE ART SCHOOL TO MY ROOM IN THE DREAM BUT I tell you this was a nightmare. And i woke up, still holding the book, and since i sleep next to the window i look at it, and I realized it was oppen, so I ran to close it. Man, after this I threw put the book in my night table and turned off the light. I had been sleeping with the light on. So now im in chapter 22, and im almost done with the book. But it driving me crazy, like it wont let me finish it. Im just reading the book to pass my finals, becuase im about to graduate. AND I HAVE POSTED THIS COMMENT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HOW THIS BOOK HAS AFFECTED ME.