Catcher in the Rye Book Review By: Sean Pua
Catcher in the Rye
Book Review
By: Sean Pua
About MeReading level:
- Medium to low
Books read in the past
- Number the Stars
- World War Z
- Young Fu of the Upper Young Tze
- Dear Mr. Henshaw
Kinds of literature that I love:
Fictional novels
Romantic novels
Because they are:
-fun
-interesting
-plays with my imagination
Why This novel over anything else?
Because
- I got curious how the book inspired the killer of John Lennon
- People can relate to some aspects of the book
- It is easy to read but at the same time has a deep meaning
Catcher in the Rye
What is it about?
Holden Caufield has a psychological problem. He feels that he’s the catcher in the rye. At first he’s protective of his little sister, Phoebe, but it turns out that he wants to save the whole of humanity from all the bad people or negative things around him. He wants to always protect his sister thinking that the world might do something wrong to his sister. In the long run, if he would see something from others that is against his principles, then he would think badly of you which is bad.
Author: J.D. Salinger
Jerome David Salinger is an American writer who had a lot of success in his early career. Before writing his most famous novel, Catcher in the Rye, he wrote a lot of short stories which were published in Story Magazine during the 1940’s before he began serving in World War II. The success of The Catcher in the Rye led to public attention and scrutiny: Salinger became reclusive, publishing new work less frequently.
Narrative Elements
Setting
One weekend during 1940’s- early 1950’s
New York City
Started in Pennsylvania
Recounts his adventures around New York
Plot
Exposition
Holden starts his story by showing/telling the readers how he dropped out of several schools and how much he hates people around him. Everytime he introduced someone for example Stradlater or Ackley, he would say negative things about them. He proceeds telling his readers that he is again dropping out of Pencey, the school he is in now.
Plot
Rising Action
Holden tells his readers how much he dislikes “phonies” or majority of the people around him. Mostly, he is against the adults around him. And later in the novel, he tells his younger sister how he wants to be the catcher in the rye that he dreamt of. He was telling her that he dreamt that he was stopping all this kids from falling from a cliff which makes him the one saving everyone.
Plot
Climax
This happens when he watches his little sister, Phoebe, riding a carousel. It is an old almost broken down horse carousel. When he saw this he realized that he cant be always there to save/protect his little sister. He cant be the catcher in the rye . This is the climax for me because this is the changing point on how Holden will view things in the future.
Plot
Falling Action
Holden promises his sister that he would never run away again and he would change .
• Resolution- Holden goes home and stays with his
family. It was not stated in the book but we can infer that he is now a more open minded man. He is undergoing treatment and he will be going to a new school where he would stay this time.
Characters
Holden Caufield
He is the narrator of the novel. He is a irresponsible and immature teenager looking to find himself through his journey.
At the beginning of the story, Holden is standing on top of a cliff watching the students form his old school. This shows the separation of childhood and adulthood.
He hates the hypocrisy of the world around him but because of his attitude of staying away from people, he protects himself from pain and disappointment from the world.
Character
Ackely
He the next door roommate of Holden.
He is insecure and he makes up stories of him and his experiences with sex
Stradlater
He is the roommate of Holden
He is handsome,popular, and buff
He dated Jane Gallagher who is Holden’s long time crush.
Characters
Jane Gallagher
Long time crush of Holden.
Spent a lot of time with holden one summer
Never appeared in the novel
Importance: Only one of the few girls he finds attractive and respects.
Characters
Phoebe Caufield
Holden’s 10 year old sister
She is intelligent, clear, and her innocence is the only thing that gives happiness to Holden
Childish and innocent but at times she is more mature than Holden.
Characters
Sally Hayes
An attractive woman that Holden has known and dated for a long time
She is the one Holden runs to when he is bored or problematic
Mr. Spencer
Holden’s favorite teacher
He is unsuccessful with trying to guide Holden to do better in his studies.
Characters
Mr. Antolini
Holden’s English teacher whom he stays for a night when he had no where else to go
He respects him and looks for him for guidance
Maurice
The guy in the elevator who persuades Holden to get a prostitute
Sunny
The prostitute who Holden clumsily wants to try to connect to
Conflict Conflict with Self
In the whole novel Holden is having a hard time dealing with everyday life because of his struggle against himself (psychological problem). He just wants to stay young forever in reference to his childhood. By calling all the people around him “phonies”, he is protecting himself from seeing his own flaws.
Conflict
Holden vs Society
Holden is unable to relate to others except his sister, Phoebe. This shows that Holden never wants to let go of his childhood and grow up at the same time. He does this by ordering alcohol, talking about sex and etc. He wants his sister and everyone around him to keep their innocence because he thinks the real adult life are full of “phonies.”
Point Of View
First person Point of view
The readers are in Holden Caufield’s head/ his perspective.
We know what he does, what he says, and what he thinks about.
The book was made this way to show and make readers understand and see the psychological problem of Holden and for us to understand the way he thinks.
Symbolisms
Holden’s Red Hunting Hat
This is the most recognizable symbols above all. This shows the uniqueness and individuality of Holden compared to others.
The color of the hat is color red is note worthy because maybe this symbolizes innocence because this is the color of Phoebe’s hair. Which shows that he wants to hold on to his childhood and keep his innocence that he had.
Symbolisms
The Museum of Natural History
Holden tells readers that this is one of his favorite places to be in. We can assume that Holden likes this place because everything around him is unchanging. We know that Holden is afraid of change, the unpredictable, and the changing world so this shows that he wants to be in a place where nothing changes.
Symbolisms
The Ducks in Central Park
This is an important part of the book because we see the childish and the eagerness to look for answers in life from Holden. He is usally afraid of change but when it comes to this, he is curious and happy at the same time.
The pond which Holden sees it as partly frozen and partly not frozen shows the transition of childhood and adulthood that Holden is also going through.
Themes
The theme for this novel is that alienation can be used as a form of self protection.
Through out the novel Holden thinks that everyone is below him. He is the only one supirior being because everyone else are phonies. Because of this, he avoids interacting with them. As readers, we can see how painful and hard it is to be in Holden’s shoes. His alienation is both what drives him and destroys him. For example, his loneliness from alienating himself pushes him to date Sally Hayes but at the same time because of his alienation and his need for alienation, he ends up insulting her and driving her away.
LiteratureLiterature for me is something that tickles ones imaginations and creativity through writings. It is something that is enjoyable and has a lot of lessons to be learned from. There is always something to be learned about life in novels, short stories, or anyhting as such.
Catcher in the Rye
This is definitely a work of literature because you can learn a lot from this. It is interesting and it helps you understand some aspects of real life. It opens your eyes to being open minded about things. This is literature in its finest because you have to look at the deeper meaning in each happening and characters.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D._Salinger
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/catcher/