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The Catcher In The Rye

 

            
            
            
             Salinger is nothing more than a story of a young boy seeking stability and love. With a misleading title, this book is an easily relatable story. Told through the eyes of a young boy, Holden Caulfield, The Catcher In The Rye is not a story to easily be forgotten.
             Expelled from boarding school Holden goes out into the world in search of non-phoniness, truth, and innocence. Holden was a very hypocritical character in the book. Believing that all his thoughts and beliefs were true and every one that differed in opinion was an idiot. Feeling that he knew a lot about human nature, Holden discusses his thoughts on many people's actions and personalities. Most of which were described negatively and as phonies.
             As for Holden himself he is somewhat of a confused individual in search of his own identity. Seeming to have a mental disability of some sort we later learn that Haden is just a troubled young boy looking for guidance and love. Finding comfort only in his sister, Phoebe, his dead brother Allie's baseball mitt, a red hunting hat, and two little nuns he meets in a subway.
             J.D. Salinger wrote this book in a clever first-person narrative voice, which makes you feel as though Haden is talking directly to you. Opening his book with the statement, "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you"ll probably want to know is where is was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth." This not only makes you feel like he is talking to you, but also gives you a feel for Haden's language, age, and attitude. Salinger leaves you wondering if maybe some occurrences within the story are personal memories that occurred throughout his childhood.
             Salinger quoted a passage from Dostoevski, " Fathers and teachers, I ponder "What is Hell?" I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love.


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