Censorship, the removal of words, images, or ideas that are “offensive,” is a hotly debated topic. Can what is seem as insulting to one person be viewed as acceptable by another? We all have our own “line in the sand” that points to where we say, enough is enough. However, is it fair for individuals or groups to determine where that line is for everyone? We don’t think so. Each individual should be able to decide for him/herself whether a book, movie, paper, etc., is appropriate.
Our book, The Catcher in the Rye, is about a sixteen year old boy named Holden Caulfield from the 1950’s who is both the main character and narrator. It describes him getting expelled once again from school, his travel to his parents’ house in New York City for punishment, and the nervous breakdowns he experiences with symptoms of unexplained depression, impulsive spending, and unpredictable behavior during his travel (“Banned Books: The Catcher in the Rye”). The book itself has been …show more content…
Salinger uses the word, “God” in vain; such as “goddamn”. They also use the words such as “sonuvabitch,” “bastard,” and “pain in the ass.” The book was challenged for having sexual content. For example, in chapter nine, Holden looks out of his hotel window to see an old man wearing women's lingerie, and he sees a woman smoke and drink while the couple spits alcohol in each other's faces. Encouragement of “damaging” lifestyles was the next challenge for Salinger because the story describes underage drinking, smoking, and a bit of homosexuality talk. In multiple chapters, Holden goes to bars multiple times in the novel and order Scotch and coke with no problem. Salinger’s book finally was challenged for violence. In chapter six, Holden and his roommate, Stradlater, from Pencey get into a fist fight over a girl. In chapter nineteen, Holden jokes to his former friend, Carl Luce, about saving a “flit” in other words, a homosexual for