Eugene Choufani September 16, 2016
The Catcher in the Rye
Reading Journal
This book is certainly one open to a lot of controversy and debate, yet that is what makes it such an interesting read. The Catcher in the Rye surely wouldn't be everyone’s cup of tea, however I find it an exciting and compelling book, with just a bit of reality poured in along with some humour. Despite being written in 1951, I think many teenagers, just like myself, would be able to relate to the various themes present in the book. I find the main character, Holden Caulfield, absolutely intriguing and as I read the first 7 chapters, it was really fascinating to get inside the head of the strange, rebellious protagonist. …show more content…
His story commences at Pencey Prep, a boarding school filled with “phonies”, as Holden likes to call them. One thing that really clutched upon my heart was the way Salinger creates a brash atmosphere in the whole seven chapters with Holden being seen as insolent, lazy, and completely clueless about his future. Moreover, what strikes me the most is the fairly frequent use of profanity. Infact, the heavy use of those words is effective in making me relate to the characters better and make them seem more realistic. I really admired Holden for his rare, but still endearing enjoyment of seemingly random moments. He would find utter satisfaction in simple stuff such as the red hunting hat in Chapter 4. In addition, Holden’s love for both, his sister Phoebe and deceased brother Allie is quite overwhelming and amazing. Throughout the chapters, it becomes clear that Allie's death was one of the most traumatic experiences of Holden’s life and may play a major role in his psychological breakdown.“That kills me” , “to tell you the truth”, “boy”, “phonies”, are all phrases that i think built rhythm in the writing and the content. Generally, Holden asks a lot of intrusive questions to strangers and that