Catching Onto the Rye: a Book Review

by Kristal Lin

“‘This is a people shooting hat,’ I said. ‘I shoot people in this hat.’”

- Holden Caulfield

J. D. Salinger’s realistic fiction, The Catcher in the Rye—a brilliant novel written in the 1940s—holds a great deal of anguish, but is also relatable on many levels. The 16-year old protagonist Holden Caulfield gives the reader an insight on his life in the 1950s’s bustling crowds of New York city in just a brief 277 pages.

Salinger was born in New York in the winter of 1919 and died in 2010. He grew up attending public schools and a military academy in New York City. Salinger continued his education in NYU and Columbia University. After completing his education around 1940, he committed himself to writing and never stopped, even when he was shipped off to Europe to fight in WW2. Throughout the war, Salinger created the central character: Holden Caulfield. He supplied bits of himself to the character, hence the reason why Holden also grew up in New York City and hated war. After the war, Salinger came home with a German war bride and published his debut novel, The Catcher in the Rye.

The book itself is about Holden recalling back to the weekend of the previous Christmas break. Salinger cleverly uses Holden to point out the adolescent minds of teens, their angst, and confused desires. The vulgar language and frequent sexual remarks mirror how teenagers act. Though Holden is bewildered, ludicrous, and shows symptoms of alienation, he has unexpected wisdom and is explicitly observant. In the book, he calls his hat a “people shooting hat”. Of course, it is not to be taken literally in any way. Holden only calls it a “people shooting hat” as a barrier—or shield—between him and the world. He “shoots” down others to keep his distance, rejecting intimate interactions with anyone. You will find that obvious through his cynical mind and the way he denigrates the people around him. When you first read the book, many find it monotonous and strange, tending to focus on the inappropriateness rather than digging deeper into the symbolic meanings. The story is neither too tender nor too tough: it is medium rare—the perfect balance.

The first time I came across Salinger’s novel, I felt strongly about Holden Caulfield’s actions. I felt irritated at his slandering thoughts, confused at his actions, and pitied his deliberate solitude. Despite all that, it was clearly not enough when I pulled out the novel years later and read it again. The second time was smoother, more relatable, and I was able to sympathize with his helplessness.

The Catcher in the Rye has endured the love and hatred of Americans since it hit the shelves in the 1950s. In parts of the country, schools and libraries have banned the novel, but today, it is now one of the most controversial yet most-loved American classics. The level of comprehension is most suitable for high school students, and I personally would not recommend reading this at a young age. Our young readers might not have the best experience and mistake the book for something that is just plain inappropriate. The story is short and takes an average reader 4-5 hours to read, making it perfect for a relaxing, weekend afternoon.