The Catcher in the Rye is the first novel to explore the psychological and emotional world of the teenager. In this sense, Holden Caulfield is the prototype on which all other representations of the teenager are based. He is one of the most significant protagonists in literary history. Love it or hate it, Catcher offers modern day readers a stark reminder that kids are kids and that growing up is really hard.
While seemingly simple on the surface, this texts is complex and beautiful, difficult, confronting, painful, sad, nihilistic and, for some who choose to skip across its surface, dated.
If you read the following selected readings, you may begin to see why I love this book.
Reading One
Reading Two
Reading Three
Reading Four
Reading Five
Reading Six