The Catcher in the Rye :: Essays Papers

The Catcher in the Rye The novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger published by The New American Library in 1951 is one of, if not the most popular and controversial books written by Salinger. The main character is a teenage boy named Holden Caulfield. He casually explains a certain time of transition in his life. It is a time of adventures and deep thought. Holden has his own view of the world and for 192 pages, he allows the reader to see the world through his eyes. He comes across many people at this time and refers to the general society as "phonies". Each personal encounter he makes affects him throughout his story. Holden begins the story by rambling about general things about him and his family and suggests to the reader that he is now in some form of an institution. He talks about the school he has currently gotten kicked out of, (unbeknownst to his parents)"Pencey Prep". This is one of many schools that he has attended and been rejected from for his laziness problem. He gets into an argument with his roommate and decides to leave Pencey early for Christmas break since there's no reason for him to stay. He packs up his things and takes a train to New York City where he grew up and where his family is. When he arrives in the city, he stays in a hotel. He observes people in other rooms through his window. Then, he goes to different bars even though he is under age. Holden is rather tall and has a gray streak of hair that makes him look older. In these bars, he meets and observes many varieties of people. He cannot go home to his parents until they've had a chance to find out about Pencey and had some time to calm down. To pass the time in NYC, he calls some people from his past. Each new person plays a specific role in Holden's actions and decisions. For example, Sally, his ex-girlfriend, makes him feel a spectrum of feelings from love to hate in a matter of hours. Holden notices many things in everyday life that others never really realize are there. He describes the Museum of Natural History and how no matter how many times you go there, nothing ever changes.