The Catcher in the Rye

The CliffsNotes are very helpful in its explanation(s) of the chapters and characters. I especially found the literary summaries helpful.

The book, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, tells of a series of events over four days of the protagonist's life. Holden Caulfield has numerous flashbacks as he narrates his story to a psychiatrist. The reader sees the main conflict between Holden and his inner self, as he is unable to handle the pressure of being a teenager and the rejection of society. The story is told in first person as Holden talks directly to the reader. This is an important literary device as the character begins to lose his mind as the story goes on. This way the reader knows what Holden is thinking and can see that his thoughts are troubled. The story takes place in numerous settings beginning with a boarding school in Pennsylvania and ends with Holden wandering New York City. The story starts out in a comical mood as Holden makes various impressions of people he knows and he likes to get laughs from people. Yet, he is a rebel who does not want to conform to what everyone else does, and therefore is left out and isolated from the rest of society. One of the main causes of his depression is the death of his younger brother, Allie. I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for great read. The book relates to kids in high school and is a funny, yet emotional book with a likable main character. The only weakness in the story is in-between the climaxes when there is a decline of action as Holden roams the city. The book includes profane language, sex, and violence and therefore is not appropriate for children under the junior high level.