The Catcher in The Rye is one of the most banned books in America across schools, libraries, and book stores, but it should not be as looked down upon as it is. It is banned because partly because of all of the violence and the bad language it uses. Many parents or teachers do not want children to be exposed to those kinds of things so they try to shield them from books such as The Catcher in the Rye. Also, some schools do not want kids having the book because Holden is seen as a rebel because he is constantly getting kicked out of schools because he does not put forth the effort. Parents and schools do not want their children to get the idea that it is ok or even normal for kids to approach school the way Holden does. But, The Catcher in The Rye should not be banned from libraries, schools, or book stores because it shows teenagers how not to act, the importance of friends and family, and that children should not be in a rush to grow up. Holden is constantly breaking rules and getting himself into trouble. Whether it is picking a fight with his roommate, “I tried to sock him, with all of my might, right smack in the toothbrush, so it would split his goddam throat open.” (Salinger 49) or hiring a prostitute, “Just a throw. Okay, what room ya in? ... Twelve twenty-two… Okay. I’ll send up a girl in …show more content…
The Catcher in the Rye displays that if you try flunk out of school and break all of the rules, you will end up in as much trouble as Holden was throughout the book. It also shows how that if you alienate yourself from everyone else you will slowly suffer a mental and emotional breakdown due to loneliness. Finally, The Catcher and the Rye keeps children from “going over the cliff” and makes sure that children know to keep their innocence while they have
If I was the librarian, I would not get rid of (or censor) any of the books, excluding “Catcher in the Rye.”
The Catcher in the Rye has always been a book of controversy. Schools have banned it due to its vivid description of how a teeneger observes the world. Holden who is The protagonist’s sees the world as very morbid place for young people. Many people believe the book brings up controversial topics that should not be discussed among minors such as Holden Caulfield. Most of the topics expressed in the book could be acceptable in today's society but it caused many concerns and issues around the time it was released, 1951. In my opinion however this book has one of the greatest qualities in literature and thats relating to the reader. It should not be banned because adolescents have been able to identify with Holden’s
There are people who would like to see The Catcher in the Rye banned from our schools because it contains disturbing issues. In my opinion they are overlooking the message that J.D. Salinger was trying to communicate. In this novel, the characters exhibit a wide scope of behaviors from honorable to ignominious. The novel presents issues such as respect for religion, or lack thereof. As though these issues were not enough by themselves, there is also the subject of intolerance of others. How, may you ask, should this novel be allowed in our schools? Well, the answer lies deep within the symbolism of the novel,
Many schools throughout the United States have banned The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger from their curriculums. There has been much debate on whether or not teachers should be able to include it as a part of their lesson, and if copies should be allowed in libraries. However, without a doubt, The Catcher in the Rye should be apart of schools’ curriculums for anyone above elementary school. There are very few inappropriate themes, banning the novel would be neglecting the First Amendment, and would also ignore a good chance for teens to relate to a character their age.
Banning books such as, The Catcher In the Rye infringes on the freedoms that America was founded upon. The Bill of Rights is one of the founding principles upon which America was established. The First Amendment clearly states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press." (U.S. Constitution). Banning books undoubtedly contradicts the First Amendment.
After spending some time in New York, Holden decides to reach out to some of his old friends. He calls an old friend, Carl Luce and asks to meet him for dinner. While he can’t make dinner, he does agree to a drink and they arrange to meet at a popular bar in the city. Holden arrives at the bar early and begins drinking. After a moment, he begins to describe others in the bar. He describes the singers and people sitting near him in a negative tone, criticizing them and their behavior. He says “The bartender was a louse, too. He was a big snob” (157). Although Holden doesn’t know him personally at all, he immediately forms a negative opinion of him. This feeling of resentfulness towards others is likely due to the critical way he thinks about himself and his constant feeling of being an outsider. As the story progresses, Holden takes a trip to visit his little sister Phoebe. He sneaks into his parents’ home and finds her sleeping. He notices she has a nice skirt and jacket set laid on the chair and explains how his mother has impeccable taste. He also notes most kids dress terribly and says, “You take most little kids, even if their parents are wealthy and all, they usually have some terrible dress on” (166/167). Even after continuously saying how much he loves kids and how great they are, Holden still has a negative opinion about them. He consistently has a negative opinion about others,
People need to read Catcher in the Rye at least once before they die. Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is a book that takes the reader inside the head of Holden Caulfield, a depressed sixteen-year-old, who enters a strange series of adventures in New York City. Holden writes his story from a mental hospital in California, about how he was expelled from a fancy prep school, his experiences after spending a few days in NYC. The book has had critical success since its publication in 1951, selling sixty-five million total copies, after a splendid review from the New York Times. Catcher in the Rye is a great novel because of its subtle symbolism, amazing portrayal of Holden Caulfield and ends on a higher note than most people realize.
were they feel like they’re alienated. In a lot of ways, Holden also literally wants
Is there really an age to be grown up? Should being grown up mean you have responsibilities, like a house, a job, car, and the actual age of 18? Is that what it takes to be called “grown up”. In my opinion I don't think that's the case. I don't think age means anything. It's all about if you are responsible, polite, respectful, mature etc. Especially when it comes to foul language. Should you have to be a certain age to be introduced to it? Even when the case has to do with books, and the school providing you to read them. The question is whether or not The Catcher in the Rye should be banned for age reasons and because of its language and sexual content. In my opinion it shouldn't be banned for its language and sexual content.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is a story about growing up. It explores the obstacles we all face during our transition from child to adulthood. The tragedies and triumphs, the breakthroughs and setbacks, the happiness and heartache. As you follow the book's protagonist, Holden, through his journey into adulthood, you learn about his life, but more importantly, you learn about your own. You grow to sympathize with the young rebel, and you begin to see traces of yourself in him.
The title of the novel, “The Catcher in the Rye”, plays a significant role throughout the book as it has a substantial connection to Holden’s story. This title greatly allows for the main character, Holden Caulfield, to express his feelings towards life and towards human nature. Holden can see that the world he now lives in as it is becoming filled with corrupted people and minds. He believes the children are ruined by the ribald behavior of the older generations around them and as he shows the reader in the novel, these thoughts allow for holden to realize his true purpose in life, which would be to help save the children from this vindictive world. Holden also needs to save himself from this conflict as he is also caught between the
There are several issues in our world that come with controversy; whether it’s about our president, or something as small as whether pineapple goes on pizza, arguments will be started over it, and The Catcher in the Rye is no exception to controversy. For over an astounding 50 year period, there has been controversy about The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. The novel follows the three day misadventures of a teenager full of angst, Holden Caulfield. Due to its mature content, such as the profanity, violence, sexual situations, and use of underage drinking, the novel has been deemed inappropriate by many critics for a high school assignment. Despite its content, I believe that Catcher in the Rye is definitely a worthwhile novel to be taught to high school students. The novel establishes two things that high school teachers should look for; a strong theme about accepting reality, and the use of symbolism to institute a relatable sense within teens.
The Catcher in the Rye is a novel by J.D. Salinger. It is narrated by Holden Caulfield, a cynical teenager who recently got expelled from his fourth school. Though Holden is the narrator and main character of the story, the focus of Salinger’s tale is not on Caulfield, but of the world in which we live. The Catcher in the Rye is an insatiable account of the realities we face daily seen through the eyes of a bright young man whose visions of the world are painfully truthful, if not a bit jaded. Salinger’s book is a must-read because its relatable symbolism draws on the reader’s emotions and can easily keep the attention of anyone.
The Catcher in the Rye written by J.D Salinger is a coming of age story. It is a story narrated by the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, who is a sixteen year old boy, but has a mind of a ten year old innocent kid. In the beginning he thinks of innocence as important, but later he realizes that growing up cannot be stopped. He wanders around the New York City by himself and gains experience of life that teaches him to become mature. This book is clearly written to show the theme of coming of age because it shows many symbols of coming of age, it shows the changes of young adults in modern life, and it creates an image of Holden growing up.
The Catcher in the Rye features a multitude of examples in which Holden is overwhelmingly suicidal and represents undesirable viewpoints. At one point in the novel, Holden admits, “what I really felt like though, was committing suicide” (Salinger 116). His pessimistic attitude and outlook on life can have a negative effect on the reader. “[The book] has been banned on the lighter premises of using profanities and being sexually explicit/suggestive, while it has also been banned for darker interpretations of the book, such as being part of a Communist plot, anti-religious, and promotive of homosexuality and perversion” (Bohan). The supports for banning are prevalent throughout the book, with no doubt that they are factual reasons. Nevertheless, the literary value and representation of adolescents in any time period overwhelm the reasons for banning the book.