Catcher In The Rye Controversy

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In 1951, J.D Salinger really hit home with a lot of troubled young adults when he wrote The Catcher In the Rye. Salinger, who used a lot of profanity and controversial issues throughout the novel, expressed many themes underlying the human race as a whole. “Salinger’s work has also a strong focus on the family”(Bruni). Throughout the book he showed us a young sensitive boy, with a gifted mind, and a one of a kind way of teaching. Incongruously, The Catcher In the Rye is the third most banned book in America. Yet, it has been selling 250,000 copies a year since 1951. The major themes in The Catcher in the Rye can be interpreted many ways throughout the novel. The phoniness of the adult world, the protection of innocence, anger, failure, and unfortunate events can all be intriguing factors that have kept this book selling copy after copy for 58 years. A widespread theme throughout J.D.…show more content…
He also mentions several times throughout the book that he has never been sexually active, when most people of his age are. For example, when he talks about sex he admits that “sex is something I just don't understand. I swear to God I don't” (63). On many occasions he refers to himself as “immature” and doesn’t have a problem with it. Near the end of the book, Holden begins to realize he is growing older. Phoebe, Holden’s young sister, is asked by Holden to ride the carousel. But when she wants him to ride with her, he replies he is too old. "Standing on the precipice that separates the rye field of childhood from the cliff of adulthood, Holden wants to protect childhood innocence from the fall into disillusionment that necessarily accompanies childhood" (Hart).Holden concludes that you have to let children make their own mistakes."If they fall off, they fall off, but it's bad if you say anything to them."

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