The Catcher in the Rye is destined to become a
classic in American Literature. Written by J.D. Salinger and hailed as his best work, this book looks at the gradual decent of the sixteen year old hero: Holden Caulfield, from sanity to madness.
The writing style is unique as it is written in the first person completely from the point of view of Holden Caulfield a young boy who is having trouble staying in a New York preparatory school. The book takes place over the space of a few days and follows Holden from
school to New York City, his
home and finally the psychiatrists office. He has flunked out of several prep schools already and is flunking out of what he believes to be his last chance. The pressure is obviously intense although Holden''s references to it are oblique.
After bidding his friends and a teacher good-bye he
leaves for New York
City and spends a couple of nights trying to stave off the inevitable confrontation with his parents. In one hotel he is offered a prostitute for $5.00 and accepts just for company. The girl changes the price and when he refuses to pay the lift operator who set the meeting up comes up and beats him up. He goes to a nightclub and get''s in because he has a shock of prematurely gray hair. The women he meets personify the shallowness he abhors and his evening is ruined.
The one bright spark in his life is his younger sister whom he adores. He sneaks into his family home to see her and there is a sweet and affectionate exchange between them showing just how much they care for each other. She gives him what little money she has and Holden leaves reluctantly, heading back to the city. He loses track when he is found in the street and taken to the hospital, where he is being interviewed, presumably by a psychiatric professional.
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