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Summary: The Immortal Disenchanted Catcher
Review: The Catcher in the Rye is an amazing novel. I was fortunate enough to discover this book in New York when I was 14. It was so amazing that I finished it in a day.
Basically, if you have not read The Catcher in the Rye, read it. It will be one of the best books you have ever read. The opinions Holden Caulfield, the main character, voices in the novel are simple and true, but they are also revelationary. If I explained much more, I'd give away too much.
The Catcher in the Rye will open your eyes to the complexity of society and the joys of life. It is the tale of a disenchanted youth, trying to evade responsibility and preserve the few pieces of innocence he has left.
The book is great, the character is great, everything about the story is great. I'm not some crazy hyper-obsessive geek writing this review to impress his literature-obsessed buddies, I'm a normal person (as much as I hate to admit that after reading this book.)
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Summary: Thought
Review: The Catcher in the Rye is an excellent fast reading book based mainly on thought. I have had a time relating to much of what the character had been feeling. Perhaps a large reason i enjoyed the book is that i see a lot of myself in Holden. I recomend this book to anyone that has a mind.
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Summary: Wheres the End?
Review: The Catcher in the Rye is an interesting book, which describes many of the things teenagers must deal with while growing up. Holden(the main character) describes his thoughts and feeling while traveling around New York. He is a very interesting and slightly eccentric character. It is a good book, until the last chapter where the book just drops. Its a terrible endin, but the rest is good.
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Summary: Read it or become a phoney.
Review: The catcher in the rye is by far, the best novel I've read lately. Not only does it show in a magnific way how tough and funny (in its own way) relationships between teenagers are, but also it desribes every situation as if you were there. It's just amazing and everyone should read it, mostly if you wanna know how a person feels when he's 16. Besides, it's exactly the way I would have written a novel.
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Summary: The Best Review in the whole world
Review: The Catcher in the Rye is considered by some people to be very controversial, and it was even banned in America after it was first released. It's about a boy named Holden who has a nervous breakdown and all of his experiences while this is going on. This book is great, despite the negative feelings that have been formed about it. Let's dive in and see what this book is all about.
This novel is set in New York City during the 1950's. This New York setting adds lots of excitement and unexpected sights, considering the city holds more than the human eye can see. By doing this, J.D. Salinger allows Holden, the main character to be set in a "world" within a world. By this, I mean that the excitement and unexpected sights of the city really adds a fantastic effect and opportunity for the character. This allows Holden to get a sense of an "unsafe" place, and an opportunity to meet astonishing characters and be exposed to new situations.
The book is narrated by sixteen year old Holden Caufield whose experiences form the action of the novel. His history of getting kicked out of schools, the death of his brother and his academic failure have caused him to hate the "system," and the world. These events all lead to his noteworthy emotional breakdown.
Something that I really enjoyed about this book is Holden's language. Salinger writes from Holden's point of view, using colloquial speech, and a few key terms. By doing this you're able to see what comes out of Holden's mind which gives you his perspective on things. It's a good way of connecting the reader to the character. An example of his key terms are the words "phony" and "naturally". He uses the word "phonies" to show his negative tone towards people and things he doesn't like; whereas he uses the word "naturally" as filler in his speaking.
Unlike many other books, this one has many little climaxes. The first two are when Holden gets in a fight with his roommate and later, when he fights a pimp. He winds up losing both of these and deals with the defeat by running away. The other three climaxes all have to do with rejection. The first of these three is when he calls this girl Sally and sets a date with her, but in the middle of the date she laughs at him and leaves. The second is when his little sister Phoebe doesn't want to listen to him and is disappointed because he was expelled again and the third is when his teacher Mr. Antolini gives him a talk about his school work, and then touches his forehead later that night, which Holden takes as a sexual gesture, and becomes disgusted with him. These climaxes all stress how Holden is constantly faced with defeat and have no one to turn to. The part of the book that really shows this is when he goes to central park to watch the ducks, but one day finds that they're not there anymore. He can't figure out where they went, but this makes him realize that he needs to figure out his purpose and direction.
The conclusion of this book is when Holden realizes that he doesn't fit in with the world and that he feels defeated. He winds up going to a mental hospital, which you learn that he has been narrating the whole book while he was sitting there telling his story to a psychiatrist. Although this book is thought to be very controversial, it is a great example of a real life situation and was very well written.
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Summary: Are we, too, 'phonies'?
Review: The Catcher in the Rye is definitely a book requiring reflection upon completion. Holden Caulfield, as portrayed by this author, was merely an actor on society's stage, hoping to find the right exit. In some ways I find myself relating to Holden - often times annoyed by the world's fakes and 'phonies'. Those people who put on warm smiles and yet stare cold eyes. But aren't we all those such 'phonies' at times, putting up fronts, keeping out the spectators of our soul? I don't feel the intensity of Holden's alienation from the world was completely justified. His senseless vulgarity and disregard and distaste for those around him made the immaturity of his character quite clear. Perhaps all of this controversy was a front put up to protect himself from the world. Maybe he had the illusion that if he hinders himself from the rest of the world that life's pain and anguish would never again taint him. This is illustrated by his last two lines: "Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do you'll start missing everybody." Life is full of both happiness and misfortune. If you shelter yourself from it, you are merely cheating yourself of life. Don't misunderstand my review; it is just critiquing Holden's character. Overall, the book itself was well written and flowing in its entirety. I might even go as far as to say I liked it. Although I don't agree with the extent of Holden's personality, J.D. Salinger, clearly knew what he was doing when writing this thought-deriving book. Perhaps upon reflection is makes us all want to take a closer look at our own personalities. Are we, too, merely one of the many 'phonies' the Holden so deeply hates?
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Summary: An interesting portrayal of adolescent life in the fifties.
Review: The Catcher in the Rye is definitely an engaging novel with an engaging (albeit obnoxious) main character. I recomend this novel to anyone who has ever felt the pressures of adolescence and wondered what would happen to them if... I wish Salinger had written more novels.
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Summary: Everyone should read this book!
Review: The Catcher In The Rye is definitely one of those books that I think everyone should read at least once in their lives. It really takes an in-depth look at human nature. This book is very powerful and thought-provoking. It explores the idea that everyone around us is a phony, including ourselves. At first this may seem like a shocking and scary statement, but as you read on you realize that unfortunately, this idea is very true. Everyone, whether it is intentional or not, is or has been at one point in his or her life, a phony. We all have a bit of Holden Caulfield inside of us. This book will really make you take a look at yourself and those around you. It is a story everyone should read again and again!!
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Summary: A Whole World is Involved....
Review: THE CATCHER IN THE RYE is Holden Caulfield's personal narrative of his four day attempt to esacpe from the phoniness of the world, and to find a fixed reality. The entire book is a flashback filled with digressions, anedotes, and asides that reveal Holden's character. The book is concerned about psychological pressures felt by the teenager who was actually on the brink to adulthood. J. D. Salinger somehow wanted to portrait Holden as a hero who was determined to escape the world and seek a new home - a place where he will be involved with nobody, where there will be no pain, no disillusionment, and no involvement. Over the span of four days, Holden was met by psychological and metaphorical challenges, or even dangers, that robbed him of his own values, own individuality and intellectual autonomy. The reason why I say the whole world is involved is becuase of the great number of people Holden encountered in this novel. From his own parents and siblings, his friends at Pencey Prep to the hooker, etc., Holden is a character with incredibly great aquaintances. THE CATCH IN THE RYE has remained one of my most beloved book since I first read it in eighth grade. Every now and then I have to re-read the book and be transformed again. The book was banned in certain communities and condemned by some school boards due to profanity since it was published in 1951. It is truly one of American classics. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Love it or Hate it
Review: The Catcher in the Rye is just one of those books that people either love or hate. I loved it, although I'll admit that it isn't the be all end all of literary gems, but there's just something about Holden Caulfield that's easy to relate to. He's highly critical of just about everything, which some people call whiny, but that's how cynics and teenagers are. Holden Caulfield just makes sense in an odd way. People who don't like this book seem either to not understand cynicism or have read it after they've grown up and already 30-something with kids ie: completely unable to relate to a teenage mindset. If not one of those than they started reading it just to find fault with it because everyone likes it so much (annoying pseudo-intellectuals who feel the need to constantly prove their "intelligence" and "individuality"- chill, we know already) I reccomend reading this book before and after you grow up, so you can first relate to it and then look back on it fondly saying things like "I loved that book when I was a kid..."
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