The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger is a classic book about a boy in high school, Holden Caulfield, who is trying to discover who he is. This book was very relatable to me, because it wasn’t written with huge words that are hard to understand. It is written the way a teenager would talk around their friends, or the words that would pop up in their heads.
The book started slower than most books that I read and has less action than most books. It is almost like a memoir of a day in someone’s life except for that it spans longer than a day. One thing that Holden kept mentioning was his brother as well as his sister, Phoebe. I have a really strong bond with my sister, so this is one way that I feel makes me really connect with the book. The other major element that makes me really connect with the book is the moment that the title is mentioned. For me, this makes the book come full circle and always makes me feel a certain way that is indescribable.


 

The moment of realizing the importance of the title connects the whole novel. It leads in with Holden sneaking into his home to see his sister, Phoebe. This shows how much he loves and cares for his siblings as well as the compassion that he has. This one section tells everything about Holden “ …If they’re [little kids] running and they don’t look where they’re going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day. I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all”. Through this, the reader discovers who Holden really is, and this is what he has been trying to find throughout the whole novel, and is still looking for at the end.
I would recommend this book to everyone. I feel that it has very important messages in finding yourself. Even if someone might not like it, they will still get something out of it. I understand how people may not like the fact that it curses quite frequently, but that makes it so much more real. Another problem seen is that the main character smokes and makes fun of people. Reading it doesn’t make it ok to do these things, but most people realize that. Also, this is how real life is in most circumstances and reading about it will make you ready for it when the time comes.
One of the reviews mentions that many people relate to Holden Caulfield even though he is a pathetic character. I can agree with this to an extent, but what makes this book so amazing is the fact that you can relate to it and use it to help guide you through certain moments in your life.