Catcher In The Rye Controversy

It is all Fun and Games until Someone Looses a Rye

Once is a generation, a book is written that transcends reality and humanity .The Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger, combines a unique style, controversial theme, and thought provoking main character in this perceptive study of the human condition. This postwar novel protests against the loss of innocence and hypocrisy of the era and is the definitive coming of age novel. Salinger constructs a shocking reality, populated by ‘phonies' and bursting with falsities- a reality that is all too real.

The Catcher in the Rye is the story of a young man's understanding of the world he lives in, and the things he encounters (Lomazoff 3). This work is similar to other famous and influential
Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around- nobody big I mean- except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff. I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them . . . I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. . . (173). Lomazoff argues that "It is a testament to his innocence and decent spirit that Holden would place the safety and well being of children as the goal of his lifetime"(3). Metaphorically speaking, Holden is catching children from falling of the cliff of childhood into the ominous gorge that is being an adult. Holden's loneliness and inner turmoil relating to his maturing creates an admirably honesty and mature of character.

Loneliness motivates the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, to break off communication of with society. For example, Charles Kegel argues that Holden Caulfield: "…is in search of the word. His problem is one of communication: as a teenager, he simply cannot get through to the adult world which surrounds him; as a sensitive teenager, he cannot get through others of his own age" (54). Adult communication intimidates and alienates the protagonist. Moreover, Holden expresses his problem with communication indirectly and in a striking and decisive moment, he relays his desire to become
For example, many readers find themselves shocked by Holden's words and actions (Smith, 1). Nask Burger argues that, " Holden's efforts to escape from himself by liquor, sex, night clubs, movies, sociability- anything and everything- are fruitless" (Burger, 1). The dark world Holden finds himself in scares the moral and conservative parents that read the novel. People have protested against the books rebellious nature, profanity, homosexuality, sexuality, and going as far to saying it was a communist plot to corrupt America's youth. In every case, however, the universal meaning of the novel has won over even the most stubborn censors. Critics love this novel, and praise the author. Burger admires the theme, style, diction, and the issues raised in his review for The New York Times (Burger). Smith praises the adolescent nature, magic of the novel, and psychoanalysis of teens in the Saturday Review of Literature (Smith). Both men understand the motivation of Salinger, and respectfully praise his coming-of age masterpiece. This unusually brilliant novel withstood the critics before angry