It is no secret that many critics have taken on Salinger's great classic. Men and women from all different generations have shared their thoughts about Catcher in the Rye and its influence on both its readers and literature as a whole. One in particular, Sanford Pinsker, entitled his critique "The Catcher in the Rye and All: Is the Age of Formative Books Over?", written in 1986. Through this essay of thoughts, Pinsker reflects upon the wild popularity of this book and the role of "formative adolescent novels" in contemporary American literature.
In the beginning of his criticism, Pinsker discusses the significance of books and their formative nature, explaining that these have begun to diminish somewhat; "perhaps our age is too restless, too sophisticated to suspend its disbelief, much less to sit still long enough to read a book." From there, he then delves into his own personal experiences with reading the book, including some of his initial thoughts and impressions, as well as some historical background to go along with the novel. From there, he concludes that Catcher in the Rye can be connected many times over to various aspects of other works and that it stands as a literary classic in our world today, impacting many of the books that followed it.
The part of this criticism that really intrigued me, though, was the whole discussion of formative novels and their role in society. I suppose it is kind of hard to say, but in relatively recent years, there have been almost no books written that could be considered "classic" status (this may be because classics take several decades to make themselves known, but still, none stand out at the moment). When one goes out, they will hear people talking about TV shows, movies, music, social media sites, sports, etc; very rarely will you hear people discussing the merit of and pleasure derived from a book they have recently read. As Pinsker says "our culture moves with a speed as blinding as it is fickle", which I found to be extremely accurate; people today get easily fed up when they have to wait for anything, which may be one of the causes that books are becoming less popular, as they take time to enjoy and complete.
To tie this all in with Catcher in the Rye, I think it is safe to say that this great work is losing its status as a formative novel, along with many other books. Now, this is not because of the quality of the book itself, but instead, the quality of its readers; students and teenagers, especially, these days are more interested in checking their Twitter or listening to the surprise album that Beyonce released a few months ago. We cannot necessarily blame the individuals, for this is just the way our society is shifting. However, it is necessary to keep literature like Catcher in the Rye alive and thriving. As stated in a previous post, this piece specifically is one of great relevance to teenagers of all generations and time periods, giving these students something to relate to, which would be a great shame to lose.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
To ban or not to ban, THAT is the question
Number nineteen. Number nineteen is where Salinger's Catcher in the Rye sits on the list of 100 top banned books from 2000 to 2009, according to the ALA. It is no secret that this infamous novel has sparked quite a bit of controversy in its day; in fact, Sycamore High School just began having its students read this class work this year, causing many current seniors to have missed the gap, to have missed reading one of the most famous works of modern American literature. This hotly debated book has been in question for many years; should the work be banned or should it be taught?
Well, if you ask me, I would say no, it should not be banned (although, having liked the book, I might be biased). But before delving into whether is should or should not be, it is necessary to first examine the controversial aspects of the work. First of all, the book utilizes a wide variety of questionable language, including many swear words. Additionally, the subject of casual sex is mentioned quite often and there is a decently long scene involving a prostitute. Finally, Holden is not exactly the ideal teenager, for he fails out of his school and is not always respectful towards others. From the perspective of parents and teachers, these three reasons are enough to remove Catcher from the shelves of classrooms, libraries, and homes.
Now hear me out: I completely understand that adults would not want children and teenagers exposed to these kinds of vulgarities and poor influences, but banning the book seems to be an extreme measure. To counter the argument that the novel contains a lot of bad language, almost all readers will already be familiar with these types of words. Just as Holden sees "f*** you" in several places around Phoebe's school, many students and teenagers have already heard this type of language in music, movies, television shows and seen it in other books, online, or in graffiti. Seeing it in one more place really is not going to do anything. As far as the sex and Holden's questionable actions, these are, again, taken to an extreme. Holden himself never actually engages in any sexual actions and even turns the prostitute away, paying her to leave. Although he does fail out of school, it is also evident that he feels the impacts of this mistake, as he endures several lectures about his failure.
It is no question that this book has some aspects to it that are a bit risque. However, despite the not-so-clean cut parts of it, Salinger's novel is of great relevance to what many teens experience today: rebellion, uncertainty, angst. Sure, students would still thrive if they did not read this book, but that is not what literature is about. The works students read in school and at home should enrich them, give them something to relate to, to connect with, and Catcher in the Rye can do just that. So to answer the question: I say "not to ban!"
Well, if you ask me, I would say no, it should not be banned (although, having liked the book, I might be biased). But before delving into whether is should or should not be, it is necessary to first examine the controversial aspects of the work. First of all, the book utilizes a wide variety of questionable language, including many swear words. Additionally, the subject of casual sex is mentioned quite often and there is a decently long scene involving a prostitute. Finally, Holden is not exactly the ideal teenager, for he fails out of his school and is not always respectful towards others. From the perspective of parents and teachers, these three reasons are enough to remove Catcher from the shelves of classrooms, libraries, and homes.
Now hear me out: I completely understand that adults would not want children and teenagers exposed to these kinds of vulgarities and poor influences, but banning the book seems to be an extreme measure. To counter the argument that the novel contains a lot of bad language, almost all readers will already be familiar with these types of words. Just as Holden sees "f*** you" in several places around Phoebe's school, many students and teenagers have already heard this type of language in music, movies, television shows and seen it in other books, online, or in graffiti. Seeing it in one more place really is not going to do anything. As far as the sex and Holden's questionable actions, these are, again, taken to an extreme. Holden himself never actually engages in any sexual actions and even turns the prostitute away, paying her to leave. Although he does fail out of school, it is also evident that he feels the impacts of this mistake, as he endures several lectures about his failure.
It is no question that this book has some aspects to it that are a bit risque. However, despite the not-so-clean cut parts of it, Salinger's novel is of great relevance to what many teens experience today: rebellion, uncertainty, angst. Sure, students would still thrive if they did not read this book, but that is not what literature is about. The works students read in school and at home should enrich them, give them something to relate to, to connect with, and Catcher in the Rye can do just that. So to answer the question: I say "not to ban!"
The Value
The College Board requires that students select books of "comparable literary merit", a phrase that all AP English Literature students have heard several times throughout their class, no doubt. This phrase can be a bit daunting, for the subject of literary merit can be somewhat subjective. When given the assignment to choose an "AP worthy" book, the first one that came to my mind was J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. I seemed to miss the boat on this book; many of my friends and classmates have read this iconic classic, yet, before this assignment, I was unable to tell you what the novel was even remotely about.
Having finished Salinger's novel, I understand why the work is so highly regarded (and debated) among teachers, readers, and critics. However, Catcher in the Rye is the quintessential "coming of age" novel and essentially established the idea of being a teenager in the literary world. Salinger was one of the authors that developed the genre, per say, of "coming of age" novels, his work deeply affecting many young adults who read this iconic book. Although controversial in some aspects, this famous (or infamous) novel is one of those works that has truly bridged the generation gap; teenagers today can still relate to the feeling of rebellion against their teachers and parents and that sense of teenage angst. Catcher in the Rye seems to be one of those books that everyone either loves or strongly dislikes, as very few lie on that middle ground. From what I can understand, the relevance and literary merit of this work is much more noticeable when the reader is younger, especially a teenager experiencing an "existential crisis" of sorts. The more the reader can relate to Holden as a character, the more the reader will respect Salinger's great work.
Beyond the teenage aspect of it, Salinger's book teaches readers that their actions truly do affect others. Although this is seen several times throughout the book, it is most prevalent in the interactions between Holden and his sister, Phoebe. When she is questioning him about what he likes and Holden is struggling to find an answer for her, this puts him into a depressed state, as he realizes that she is right, that he doesn't really, really like very much of anything. Additionally, when Phoebe adamantly states that she is going with him out west, only to be thoroughly shot down, she becomes very "sore" with Holden. Because he dislikes seeing her so angry and upset, Holden revokes his plans and decides to stay in New York City. Had it not been for Phoebe's actions and comments, Holden may not have experienced the changes he did or have faced up to the life in front of him.
Although hotly debated, Catcher in the Rye is a classic in modern literature and serves as one of the defining pieces in our literary history. Depicting the change in Holden and the growing up he does throughout the novel makes it relatable to teenagers all across the country, the world, and the generation gaps. Salinger's coming of age tale is able to speak to the masses and reinstate a sense of enjoyment and pleasure in reading today.
Having finished Salinger's novel, I understand why the work is so highly regarded (and debated) among teachers, readers, and critics. However, Catcher in the Rye is the quintessential "coming of age" novel and essentially established the idea of being a teenager in the literary world. Salinger was one of the authors that developed the genre, per say, of "coming of age" novels, his work deeply affecting many young adults who read this iconic book. Although controversial in some aspects, this famous (or infamous) novel is one of those works that has truly bridged the generation gap; teenagers today can still relate to the feeling of rebellion against their teachers and parents and that sense of teenage angst. Catcher in the Rye seems to be one of those books that everyone either loves or strongly dislikes, as very few lie on that middle ground. From what I can understand, the relevance and literary merit of this work is much more noticeable when the reader is younger, especially a teenager experiencing an "existential crisis" of sorts. The more the reader can relate to Holden as a character, the more the reader will respect Salinger's great work.
Beyond the teenage aspect of it, Salinger's book teaches readers that their actions truly do affect others. Although this is seen several times throughout the book, it is most prevalent in the interactions between Holden and his sister, Phoebe. When she is questioning him about what he likes and Holden is struggling to find an answer for her, this puts him into a depressed state, as he realizes that she is right, that he doesn't really, really like very much of anything. Additionally, when Phoebe adamantly states that she is going with him out west, only to be thoroughly shot down, she becomes very "sore" with Holden. Because he dislikes seeing her so angry and upset, Holden revokes his plans and decides to stay in New York City. Had it not been for Phoebe's actions and comments, Holden may not have experienced the changes he did or have faced up to the life in front of him.
Although hotly debated, Catcher in the Rye is a classic in modern literature and serves as one of the defining pieces in our literary history. Depicting the change in Holden and the growing up he does throughout the novel makes it relatable to teenagers all across the country, the world, and the generation gaps. Salinger's coming of age tale is able to speak to the masses and reinstate a sense of enjoyment and pleasure in reading today.
Finality
So that is it. I just finished reading Catcher in the Rye. In still trying to wrap my head around the conclusion of this wildly famous novel, I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Although there were some parts that were a bit dull or slow, the overall purpose and impact of Salinger's book really struck home with me.
The ending was not really what I was expecting. The author closes this book in a way similar to how he started; the final chapter opens with "I could probably tell you what I did after I went home, and how I got sick and all, and what school I'm supposed to go to next fall, after I get out of here, but I don't feel like it. I really don't. That stuff doesn't interest me too much right now" (213). The final lines of the book, however, present a very different attitude than those that open the first and last chapters. Instead of that lazy, careless teenage attitude, the ending has a more nostalgic and contemplative feel to it. Salinger closes the book with "about all I know is, I sort of miss everybody I told about. Even old Stradlater and Ackley, for instance. I think I even miss that goddam Maurice. It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody" (214).
These closing sentences reflect a dramatic change in heart in Holden. Several chapters prior to the ending, Phoebe seriously questioned Holden about what he really likes, and he struggles somewhat to answer this. However, as he reflects on these stories and the time he spent wandering around the city, he grows quite nostalgic, reminiscing about the times he spent with his friends and classmates. I think this is when we really see the whole "coming of age" aspect of the novel. Holden goes from being annoyed with everyone and everything and being depressed to really having some direction in his life. Although he may not necessarily like Stradlater or Ackley, he has reached a point where he can appreciate the influence they had on his life and the memories that they have together. Although it is not implicitly stated, we as readers can make the assumption that Holden wants to turn his life around, at least a little bit. We can hope that when he starts his new school in the fall, he will hold himself to a higher standard and really come into his new found maturity. I think that the tipping point of this change was when Holden had that conversation with Mr. Antolini about the size of one's mind and the quote about living humbly for a cause; although he fell asleep without really being able to think about any of it too deeply, some of the information Mr. Antolini shared definitely permeated Holden's mind, partially leading to this change.
Once he recovers from the depths of his depression and throws out his outlandish plans of hitchhiking out west, Holden becomes a new man, in a way. As he sits back and watches Phoebe ride the carousel, he has time to really think over his life and his plans, finally deciding that it would be best for him to remain in the city and face his parents and future. The transformation we see in the beloved narrator is what makes Catcher in the Rye the quintessential coming of age novel. If the ending of this book does not beautifully demonstrate the change from a rebellious teenager to a more mature young adult, I am not sure what does.
The ending was not really what I was expecting. The author closes this book in a way similar to how he started; the final chapter opens with "I could probably tell you what I did after I went home, and how I got sick and all, and what school I'm supposed to go to next fall, after I get out of here, but I don't feel like it. I really don't. That stuff doesn't interest me too much right now" (213). The final lines of the book, however, present a very different attitude than those that open the first and last chapters. Instead of that lazy, careless teenage attitude, the ending has a more nostalgic and contemplative feel to it. Salinger closes the book with "about all I know is, I sort of miss everybody I told about. Even old Stradlater and Ackley, for instance. I think I even miss that goddam Maurice. It's funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody" (214).
These closing sentences reflect a dramatic change in heart in Holden. Several chapters prior to the ending, Phoebe seriously questioned Holden about what he really likes, and he struggles somewhat to answer this. However, as he reflects on these stories and the time he spent wandering around the city, he grows quite nostalgic, reminiscing about the times he spent with his friends and classmates. I think this is when we really see the whole "coming of age" aspect of the novel. Holden goes from being annoyed with everyone and everything and being depressed to really having some direction in his life. Although he may not necessarily like Stradlater or Ackley, he has reached a point where he can appreciate the influence they had on his life and the memories that they have together. Although it is not implicitly stated, we as readers can make the assumption that Holden wants to turn his life around, at least a little bit. We can hope that when he starts his new school in the fall, he will hold himself to a higher standard and really come into his new found maturity. I think that the tipping point of this change was when Holden had that conversation with Mr. Antolini about the size of one's mind and the quote about living humbly for a cause; although he fell asleep without really being able to think about any of it too deeply, some of the information Mr. Antolini shared definitely permeated Holden's mind, partially leading to this change.
Once he recovers from the depths of his depression and throws out his outlandish plans of hitchhiking out west, Holden becomes a new man, in a way. As he sits back and watches Phoebe ride the carousel, he has time to really think over his life and his plans, finally deciding that it would be best for him to remain in the city and face his parents and future. The transformation we see in the beloved narrator is what makes Catcher in the Rye the quintessential coming of age novel. If the ending of this book does not beautifully demonstrate the change from a rebellious teenager to a more mature young adult, I am not sure what does.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
The Beginning
I would just like to start off by saying that J. D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye is hardly what I had expected; as a very famous book, I was expecting formal sentence structure and the type of vocabulary that would require me to have a dictionary close at hand while I read. The opening sentences of the novel provided quite the pleasant surprise, though. They read as follows: "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to hear is where I 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. In the first place, that stuff bores me, and in the second place, my parents would have about two hemorrhages apiece if I told anything pretty personal about them" (1).
It is evident from the very beginning that this novel tears down that "fourth wall", to use theatrical terminology. The reader is immediately thrown into the action, interacting directly with the narrator; it is as if Holden is holding a conversation with the reader, telling his life story in great detail. This informal nature is quite different from that of many other "classic" novels, which implement a plot line and characters that are more distant, adding to the surprise that I experienced when first reading this book. The relaxed nature of this opening is especially apparent in the end of the second sentence, in which Holden is discussing his parents' concern over sharing personal information, as if Holden is telling these personal stories to a friend or random passerby and his guardians fear for their own privacy or reputation.
Beyond this familiarity between the reader and the speaker, these opening sentences also mock traditional opening sentences of other books, stories, and works. In many other pieces of literature, the works open much like Holden describes: the narrator describes their childhood, family life, residential settings, etc. In contrast to this, the narrator of Salinger's novel immediately jumps in, discussing his thoughts about others ("they're nice and all - I'm not saying that - but they're also touchy as hell"), recent events and happenings in his life ("I'll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas"), and some random descriptions of those in his life ("He's in Hollywood...He just got a Jaguar...He's got a lot of dough, now"). As he stated when he opens up the novel, Holden essentially cuts out the seemingly useless information and gets straight to the point, to what he believes is more interesting.
By cutting out the pieces of information that would help to shape Holden as a character, this is reflective of the angsty, rebellious spirit of teenagers. Because talking about his childhood and his parents "bores" him, he just chooses to leave it all out, despite what the reader might want/expect. This also sets the tone for Holden as a character and introduces him as a more free-spirited teen, as opposed to a cookie-cutter perfect, obliging child. These characteristics define the narrator as a person and allows the reader to get a feel for his personality traits and thought processes.
Overall, the opening sentences really set the tone of Salinger's Catcher in the Rye; from just the first two sentences, the readers already has a feel for the main character and narrator, as well the tone of the book as a whole. The casualness and informality from the very beginning sets this novel apart from many other classics over the years, only adding to the book's uniqueness and popularity.
It is evident from the very beginning that this novel tears down that "fourth wall", to use theatrical terminology. The reader is immediately thrown into the action, interacting directly with the narrator; it is as if Holden is holding a conversation with the reader, telling his life story in great detail. This informal nature is quite different from that of many other "classic" novels, which implement a plot line and characters that are more distant, adding to the surprise that I experienced when first reading this book. The relaxed nature of this opening is especially apparent in the end of the second sentence, in which Holden is discussing his parents' concern over sharing personal information, as if Holden is telling these personal stories to a friend or random passerby and his guardians fear for their own privacy or reputation.
Beyond this familiarity between the reader and the speaker, these opening sentences also mock traditional opening sentences of other books, stories, and works. In many other pieces of literature, the works open much like Holden describes: the narrator describes their childhood, family life, residential settings, etc. In contrast to this, the narrator of Salinger's novel immediately jumps in, discussing his thoughts about others ("they're nice and all - I'm not saying that - but they're also touchy as hell"), recent events and happenings in his life ("I'll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas"), and some random descriptions of those in his life ("He's in Hollywood...He just got a Jaguar...He's got a lot of dough, now"). As he stated when he opens up the novel, Holden essentially cuts out the seemingly useless information and gets straight to the point, to what he believes is more interesting.
By cutting out the pieces of information that would help to shape Holden as a character, this is reflective of the angsty, rebellious spirit of teenagers. Because talking about his childhood and his parents "bores" him, he just chooses to leave it all out, despite what the reader might want/expect. This also sets the tone for Holden as a character and introduces him as a more free-spirited teen, as opposed to a cookie-cutter perfect, obliging child. These characteristics define the narrator as a person and allows the reader to get a feel for his personality traits and thought processes.
Overall, the opening sentences really set the tone of Salinger's Catcher in the Rye; from just the first two sentences, the readers already has a feel for the main character and narrator, as well the tone of the book as a whole. The casualness and informality from the very beginning sets this novel apart from many other classics over the years, only adding to the book's uniqueness and popularity.
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