Customer Reviews

Catcher in the Rye (Barron's Book Notes)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I read this book at 16 because a teacher told me I would relate to the main character. This was soon after I had been diagnosed with manic-depressive illness. I am now 21 and have read the book several times and the more I experience and live through the symptons of my illness, I see how the entire book seems to show that Holden might have been experiencing a manic episode. And it is amazing that it was written so long ago, before much was known of the illness. I adore this book because the thoughts and emotions I sometimes have that seem to be so terribly painfull and unexplainable are all stated crystal clear right there in the pages. I reccomend this book to anyone who has manic-depression, or anyone who wishes to understand such a person's emoitional obstacles. I also highly reccomend all other works by Salinger, particularly "Raise High the Roofbeam, Carpenters and Seymour, an Introduction".

I won't continue the string of how I liked the book, what it meant to me, etc. After reading several reviews, it would serve no purpose. What is interesting is that I just read the book for the second time, at 60, the first time I was 17. That was 1964. Many of the reviews stated that it was required reading in school....I have to laugh. The book was banned reading in my high school, and we risked school punishment if we were caught in possession of _The Catcher in the Rye_.

Think about it.....Vietnam was just two years later, and the world changed forever for us. And we were not allowed to read Salinger's book in 1964.

When I first read this book, I had no idea where it was heading, as the writer just jumped straight into the plot. As I continued through the story, I began to think that Holden was just as phony as the many people that he hates, though soon, I began to realise that his negative attitude is a result of being let down too many times, thereby, he seeing no point in making an effort himself. I find his protection of Phoebe incredibly sweet, considering the type of person he is, and the fact that he wants to protect her from the 'real world'shows that he is scared that she might one day become like those 'phonies'. This is an amazing book, which will captivate your mind. An extremely positive recommendation comes from this girl.

I had to read this book for my grade 12 english class and normally I hate being forced to read material I'm not interested in but I heard about this book and I was told I'd either love it or hate it. I'm leaning more towards the love. Finally an assigned English book that was actually worth my time! However, Holden's use of repetition really gets to you and sometimes that's all you think about...how phoney those people are that he talks about and how everything is "corny". The book does have a point. And I think as a teenager I really related to his feelings and his constant cynism. Unfortunately, that comes with the teenage years. "Catcher in the Rye" is also a lot like Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar". The only difference in those 2 books were that the main character's were of the opposite sex. These books are kind of a "find yourself" guide in the teenage years. It's always good to know your not alone and that you can relate to someone.

I thought this was one of the best books that I have ever read in school. It shows the reality of a kid's thoughts and feelings as he makes the journey to adulthood. His sarcasm and bad attitude hide his fear of the world. Everyone wishes to remain young sometime in their life. Here is a good example of that.

The Catcher in the Rye was a terrific book, but it's even better when you understand the meaning behind it. The whole theme is about maturity. When Holden talks about being the catcher in the rye, he wants to save the children from falling into maturity. In the end, he let's go of it because he sees Phoebe and the other kids reaching for the gold ring. The gold ring symbolizes that people are always striving for things they will never be able to reach.

The book The Catcher in the Rye was one of the best books I have ever read, and also my favorite. As a fifteen year old myself I understood much of what Holden was going through. I got the book and didn't stop reading it untill I finished it the next night. I loved the style of writing and it kept me interested untill the very last word.

I started to hate Holden because he frustrated me so much. His constantly negative remarks about everyone, his lazyness and uncaring attitude,and his superiority all bothered me. As I read, I began to understand his character more and I liked him. As soon as it is accepted that there is a little Holden in all of us, the book is more enjoyable. It taught me many lessons about motivation, superficiality and understanding. Read it, it's very well written.

The Catcher in the Rye was a terrific book, but it's even better when you understand the meaning behind it. The whole theme is about maturity. When Holden talks about being the catcher in the rye, he wants to save the children from falling into maturity. In the end, he let's go of it because he sees Phoebe and the other kids reaching for the gold ring. The gold ring symbolizes that people are always striving for things they will never be able to reach.

The Catcher in the Rye is a book that shows the horrors of growing up in America. Adolescense is not easy and Salinger conveys that through this book. It's too bad he's hiding from his supporters, he rocks!