The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Catcher in the Rye
Book Review: A One Hit Wonder That Plundered My Hours
Summary: 1 Stars
The problem with this book is that J.D. Salinger gets really repetitious about his character 'Holden'. Look, I don't care if Holden is selfish and opinionated and thinks like an immature brat. It actually made him a compelling character to read and is artfully done sometimes. What I do care about is how his thoughts are reflected by the author. He utilizes Holden's thoughts in the same variation or thought process on EVERY PAGE. Perhaps I need to be more detailed in my description about this.
Seems like every other paragraph Salinger runs through this same process:
1) An event happens, and is described by Holden/Salinger
2) Holden talks about the event particularly
3) Holden generalizes this event to include most of the world
OR:
6) First person's viewpoint
7) Second person's viewpoint (the same as the first)
8) Holden/Salinger's viewpoint (often the same as both)
The problem is, there's nothing brilliant about this. Whether Salinger is thought brilliant by expressing a cynical view of the world in 1950s through the eyes of a 16-year old boy, he gets to be repetitious. Within nearly every page you will find this guideline to his literary writing once, if not twice per page. Example:
Page 85:
1) "I was surrounded by jerks"
2) "On my right there was this very Joe Yale looking guy, in a gray flannel suit and one of those flitty-looking Tattersall vests"
3) "All those Ivy League bastards look alike"
Page 87:
6) "You could tell the waiter didn't like her much"
7) "You could tell the Navy guy didn't like her much"
8) "I didn't like her very much"
The brilliance dissipates, leaving you with a character going about, commenting about his experiences utilizing the same handful of explicits. You know what "kills me" all the time Holden/Salinger? The way every page is also riddled with these EXACT words, along with: "I hate that stuff", "He was one of those guys", "She was one of those types" or some equally cliché pronouncement.
Pronouncements. That's all this book seems to be. A collection of complaints about the world, seemingly through the eyes of a 16-year old boy, when in actuality it's the complaints of the world from an author that's as mentally mature as a 16-year old boy. This hardly qualifies as prose. It's such a shallow storyline, devoid of any distinguishable hooks or climaxes. The character goes from one location to the next, complaining every step of the way.
Had Holden been a better constructed character, who wasn't spotting out the same smug lines, I'd be alright with him being THE ONLY protagonist in this book. However, he's fails to do so. His character cannot withstand the burden of holding up this entire book.
I will give you this. There is wit. Some things Holden says is so incredibly witty, and the amazing part is how well it still translates even after fifty years.
But that's its only strongest point. And it doesn't offset the amount of failures of design in nearly any other area. This is not literature. It's teenage smut from the 40s.
Book Review: A Sad Tale of A Man's Search for Connecting with the World Around Him!
Summary: 4 Stars
J.D. Salinger is a reclusive writer. This book is his classic novel about Holden Caulfield who gets kicked out of prep school and goes to his hometown of New York City in post-World War II era. Sadly, Holden lives and deceives some of his pals not intentionally but because he has got nothing better to do with his life. Throughout the book, Holden's life comes unglued or disected into feeling an empathy for him. He has no empathy for the world around him. He wants more than the standard way of living. Caulfield is a highly intelligent man who is disconnected with the world around him by choice. I feel pity and sorry for him and hopes that his misery will come to an end soon but he is no better than those he writes about in this book.Book Review: A Thought Provoking Read
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the story of sixteen year old Holden Caulfield, a boy flunking out of a faumous prep school. He tries to prevent people from acting beyond their ages, and to keep childhood as long as possible. Holden leaves the school on a journey to find himself. He ends up in Manhatten. This book is filled with symbolism. The language used is raw and edgy. Holden shows us that it is very important what is on the inside and not out. It is a depressing work of fiction, but teaches many lessons.Book Review: A Timeless Take on Teen Angst
Summary: 5 Stars
As I was reading this book I was thinking "Holden Caulfield is such a jerk! He's disrespectful to elders, he's blasphemous, he can't see past the end of his nose, and he's an aimless kid who's heading nowhere fast."
But guess what? That describes me when I was a kid! In fact, it describes a huge percentage of America! And it also describes a big percentage of American youth. J.D Salinger caught lightening in a bottle with this timeless, classic look at American teen angst. Based on the way the story is told, it could have been written at any time during the 20th century, and it still speaks to us today. Because of all the swearing and the potty mouth thinking of the book's central figure, I', not sure I would recommend this for a high school class, but it would make for a good book for a college class and something that every one who cares about timeless lit should read.
I should also say that as frustrating as it is to get inside the mind of Holden Caulfield, I came away from the book with a sense of hope, that maybe the kid won't be a schmuck for the rest of his life after all. In that sense, when I see Holden Caulfield, I see myself.
Book Review: A True Classic
Summary: 4 Stars
A Genuine, True Classic. Once you read it again, you realize what a profound effect it had on American literature at the time. What a tragedy that Salinger went into seclusion and deprived the world (except his family) of his talent. Hopefully a family member will publish his work soon. The Catcher in the Rye