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Brayden Flanders

Mrs. Cox

Contemporary Literature

1 Dec. 2021

Holden Caulfield Revisited

The book Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger is a classic read for tennager and young

adults. To begin with, I think this novel has found success even though it came out over 70

years ago because it appeals to young readers, as well as touches on a tough subject about

teenagers' mental health. The reason I think these things is because when I was reading the

book about Holden’s troubles I couldn’t help but think that I was going through those same

thoughts in my head. For example when Holden said “What I really felt like, though, was

committing suicide. I felt like jumping out the window” (Saligner 104).

To add onto this those same thoughts are constantly racing through my mind so In a

way I could feel Holden’s pain as if I was him in the book. Also the James Castle story hits a

little close to home because Holden is constantly thinking about James and how he might end

up like him. And I feel like Holden in a sense because of Brennan. Sometimes I think that I

might end up like him when my depression really hits me hard. But In the end I got help before

things could progress worse just like Holden did at the end of the story.

Also I think that teens in the 1950’s and teens now are one in the same because

while we didn’t do the stuff as each other both teenager groups struggle with depression.

Furthermore the popularity for the book took awhile for it to come into the spotlight since most

schools banned the book for its themes about depression and the truth about it. Mark Phillips
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who is a free-lance writer said in an article about J.D Salinger that “Most books are banned

because their truthfulness is feared. Catcher is no expectation” (Phillips 2). Which I think really

adds to why the book became so popular as it did because it spoke the truth about a kid in

highschool going through it.

To add onto this is it just shows that Catcher in the Rye was ahead of its time because

it was not really accepted when it first came out and still even today the book is banned in some

schools for the language and themes about suicide. Furthermore, what I think we can take away

from this book is that it’s ok to not be ok.

What I mean by that is Holden goes through so much with being kicked out of three

different private schools, he feels like he has nobody in his life, he gets beat up by Mariuce, and

he has never really fit in anywhere he has gone. But still in the end he gets helps after all the

thoughts about suicide and dying he gets help because he knows he can’t do it for Pheobes

sake. To end with, I think that this book should be read in every English class in every

highschool at least once because it teaches young kids that struggle so hard with depression

that it’s ok to get help if you just can’t take it anymore.