Holden Caulfield has just been kicked out, yet again, of a preparatory school which his father, a hot-shot corporate lawyer, has selected for him. Holden is a pathological lawyer, he smokes like crazy, and he prefers the peak of his brand-new red hunting cap to be facing backward, not forward. Holden begins wandering around New York City, buying time before the date comes when his parents will be expecting him.
Such are the plot details, and the wonderful character painting, that this wonderful little novel unveils early in its course. The Catcher is a fast-paced and an easy read, two qualities which typically don’t go along with works of literature. Is the Catcher a work of literature? The answer is an unqualified yes. Salinger has accomplished an amazing feat by relaying his story through the first-person narrative of our protagonist, and the writing is complete with Holden’s idiosyncratic jargon and constant lacings of profanity. Yet what makes the writing so remarkable is that we know exactly what Holden is talking about it, even though his slang can be a little confusing at times.
Still, what makes this little gem a literary genius is not its exceptional writing, but its wide appealing cultural value. I think it would be immature and cliched to call this a “coming of age” book (even though it is one), or to talk about Holden’s prototypical “teenage angst”. In my opinion, this novel finds its far-reaching appeal because it speaks to the heart of us all. We all get discouraged (and even disgusted) by the faults that we see in society, and in human nature in general (for example, the “phoniness” which Holden sees as near ubiquitous). Nevertheless, all of us have to make decisions, just like Holden does, as to what direction we choose to walk in life.
A final note. I loved this book and found myself laughing out loud throughout many parts of the book. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t be surprised if this novel isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I suspect that some readers will