the Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye

Writer  :  J.D.Salinger

Published Year : 1951

“The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.'”

Excerpt From: Salinger, J.D. “The Catcher in the Rye.” iBooks. 

The Catcher in the Rye is American classic book that up until now is still frequently used as literature. 

If you like Perks of being Wallflower, you will definetely love the Catcher in the Rye. Nope, in reverse, If you love catcher in the Rye, you will also love Perks of being a Wallflower because Stephen Chbosky-the writer of Perks of being Wallflower has been influenced by this novel.

The Main character in this Novel is Holden Caufield, a rebel teenager with setting in two days in December 1949. Yes two days (underlined, bolded).

Holden begin his story at Pencey Prep, a private school in Aegerstown, Pennsylvania. That day, Holden_as the Manager of Fencing team, should take his fencing team into competition, but they didn't make it anyway because Holden lost the equipment. So he returned to his school. 

On that day also, there was a football game in his school, every body went there instead of him, and the boy who lived next to his room, Ackley. Holden didnt went there because his history teacher Mr. Spencer called him to saying good by before Holden leaving because of his expelled. 

Mr. Spencer is an old good man, and Holden tried very hard to not being harsh to him. But Mr. Spencer annoyed him by reading papper that has been written by Holden loudly, also the footnote that Holden leaved for Mr. Spencer. It is unpollite according to Holden, so he left with mad and go back to his room, packing.

Later when Holden in his room, his neighbour Ackley came in uninvinted. Ackley always do that, he sort of big guy with many pimples on his eye. He had a lot of question and his anxiety_sometimes annoy Holden especially when Holden not in the mood. But Holden tried to be nice to Ackley because he knew that Ackley is weird guy that happen didnt have any friend, or female friend want to near him. Holden also invite Ackley to watch movie together with other friend just because Holden know that Ackley will be lonesome in saturday night.

Back from movie, Holden met his roommate, Stradlatter that just went back from date with Holden's old friend, Jane Gallagher. Holden know Jane from ages, and made Holden know Jane's background and behaviour. When Stradlatter told Holden the detail story of their date that night, Holden get mad. Holden think that Stradlatter has taken advantageof Jane, and didn't treat Jane well as Holden does. They get involved in fight, and Stradlatter who had a bigger body that Holden, win easily.

Bleeding, Holden decided to sleeping in Ackley room and had a chat with him for awhile. But instead of getting comfortable, Holden more annoyed with Ackley and decided he had enough of Pencey. So he left that night by riding a train to New York, his home town. Normally Holden should be back to his home on Wednesday by the time the letter of his expell recived by his parents.

Then the journey of Holden is begin. Don't think it will adventorous or epic. It is very frustating. Initially, he planned to stay at cheap hotel in New york while waiting till Wednesday. But Holden's nerves made everything didn't work well. He is typically not a calm and long-minded guy. Every time when he get depressed, he act instictively and do every thing he want, like going to the club, drunk, even at the frustated one he called a prostitute, but it was also didn't well because he also got beat up by the prostitute's pimp.

The rough night didn't made him sleep easily. But soon at the morning, he went to breakfast and meet 2 nuns incidentally. By chatting with them, we will know that Holden is actually a very nice guy, generous and hmm..naive. He might hate anything in this world,  but he really care with good thing. He also behave when he talk with people that nice by the heart. 

He did hate phony people with phony courtesy. Phony is superficial, hypocritical and pretentious. 

Right after berakfast, he tried to looking for a recording for his lovely sister, Pheobe. Holden have two brothers, D.B that happen to be famous writer and live in holywood, Allie that the only one person he like very much in this world but happen to die, and Phoebe-10 years old sister that very smart. Holden is very adoring his sister, that even just a kid but seems to understand every thing that Holden said. 

After found a rare recording that Holden went on date with his friend,  Sally. Sally is very goodlooking girl, but not smart enough. Holden also said that it very took a long time untill he finally know that Sally is not as smart as he thought because SAlly loved read books and watch movie. Usually girl who love books and movies is smart, in Holden opinions. 

Initially, Holden very glad to see SAlly because Sally is very beautiful. Even when they watch theathre being disturbed by Sally's male friends, Holden stay still. Until Sally take him to the skating rink in radio city, and Holden suddenly had a crazy mind to ask SAlly to runaway with him, living in the other city, take his bank account, and then whe he run out of money he will looking for a job, and they will married. 

Sally frightened and refuse it politely but Holden insisted. It makes Sally getting nerved, and eventually Holden get mad at her and told her that She is royal pain in his ass. It made Sally crying and ask Holden to leave him. 

Holden was felt sorry and apologize several time but didn't work so he left with doughs (read money) run low in his pocket. 

Wandered arround, she suddenly missed his sister because he tought he will die of pnemunomia. He sneaked out to his sister room without his parent notice. His sister know that Holden get expelled again and affraid that their dad would kill Holden. In fact, the conversations between Holden and Phoebe were two ways. Holden told Phoebe about how Pencey was  a horrible school and explain the reason why he can't managed to stay there. Phoebe is listening to him.

After visiting his sister, Holden should looking for a place to stay until Wednesday, so he come to his old teacher's appartment. Holden used to like thus teacher very much, and respected him. But turns out something is scared him so he run away from his teacher appartment, and decided to leave away from New York. But before go, he need to say good by to his sister first.

Well, what a really astonishing from this novel is how the writer narrated Holden's mind. Holden minds is unfocused, and full of mad, but eventually brilliant. I think the writer is just being very honest when the time he wrote this novel. I really love this quotes form this novel:

“Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.”

“The trouble with girls is, if they like a boy, no matter how big a bastard he is, they'll say he has an inferiority complex, and if they don't like him, no matter how nice a guy he is, or how big an inferiority complex he has, they'll say he's conceited.”

Also the very funny quotes:

“That guy Morrow was about as sensitive as a goddam toilet seat.”

“Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody.”

Yes, it is very good novel. the language is flowing (not that type like Shakespeare), there are so many Goddam, phony, witty, Chrissake words. Swearing, but funny tough and also look very real that thus kind of word will come out from a weird boy. 

The character is historical that time, the tremendious of rebel teenager in 50's. The setting is not much old fashioned. I personally think that it is not a very old and heavy novel that we used to read from classic books. The ending is also great, after almost whole book we can feel the Anger of teenage boy, I cried up side down at the end.

 I love this book, and if I may quote from this book that personally I felt. This is my experience after reading this awesome book:

“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.”

You can download the e-book here!
You might also like : the Perks of being a Wallflower, Stephen Chobsky
                               Less Than Zero, Bret Easton Ellis 

                                
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