Catcher in the Rye

I just finished Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. This book was first published in 1945, my edition was from 1999, publishing company Little Brown and Company. J.D. Salinger had several characteristics that make the character Holden Caufield similar to him, in that he did not like the structure of the school life. More information about Mr. Salinger can be found in World Biography online. He lived in NEw York, attended school, was in the service, was a writer and got out of service in 1945. Catcher in the Rye is about a boy named Holden Caufield, he is still in High School but has been farmed out to several schools because though he likes English and writing he just cannot apply himself to the rigorous studying of other subjects. He does not seem to like anyone, using names to describe them as phonies, flits, and other deragatory names. He is not happy with his older brother because he writes movies and he Holden thinks all movie people are phonies, who do not know how to be real. He loved his younger brother who dies at a young age and sends Holden into a tailspin. He loves his younger sister Phoebe and spends his time after bailing out on his school Pency, a few days before school ends for winter break. Well, he was actually kicked out but that was not in effect until after winter break. So Holden bails after an argument with his roommate about a girl that his roommate took out who is actually a friend of Holden's from home. He ends up getting knocked out, and then he leaves, goes on a calling binge and for a high school student a drinking binge. Calling friends or should I say aquintances as holden does not consider anyone a friend. The whole time he is doing this you are constantly hearing his thoughts, mostly all negative, unless he is reminiscing about his brother or thinking about his sister. His one drinking "buddy", who is actually someone who graduated from another school Holden was kicked out of, tells him he should see a psychoanalyst. This book is full of teenage angst and unresolved issues with the death of his brother. I think that is his brother who he felt was perfect had not died Holden might not have had such animosity towards the people who fell short of his expectations. But then again do not all teenagers feel animosity towards others. Good book, pretty current with todays issues.