Reviews with content warning for Racism - The Catcher in the Rye

I was told this book would change my life. Needless to say, it didn’t. I think the stale bagel I ate for breakfast changed my life more than this book, in fact. Yes, I relate to Holden’s teenage angst. But I am not a rich teenager living in New York who can escape from their problems temporarily while delving into their deepest, darkest traumas. There’s no plot here. It’s trauma dumping for the sake of it. Also there’s a ton of symbolism that went way over my head. Maybe I’d appreciate it more if I studied it in an English class. (Not that I think it should be studied anymore, the racial slurs are UNBELIEVABLY abundant.) Look, at the end of the day, this might have been groundbreaking for teens in the 60s, but to assume it carries the same weight today would be ridiculous. Some things just aren’t meant to be timeless.

Content Warnings

ellahaugdahl's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

i have mixed feelings about this book, mostly because i feel to young and stupid to understand it on a deeper level by myself. i am positive i would have understood it more if i had an english teacher explain it to me along the way. however, i am no quitter, so i will spend the evening reading public analyzes.
-
on the other hand, what i did like was how timeless the classic was. the plot and story could just as likely be from today, even though it was written in the 1940’s. salinger did a great job, in my opinion. i forgot - apart from the language - where the story was set on several occasions. i remember holden writing an essay and having to borrow his roommate’s typewriter. that made me a little confused, because in my head i had imagined a computer all along.
-
i also liked how relatable holden was, and that he was in no way perfect. he struggled with accepting change and the way some things were, and also did not like when others did things different than him. still, he wanted to be unique. holden also struggled with growing up to a level where he started failing school. what made the story better was that he told his story from a time he knew better, and i felt like i learned his lessons with him.
-
my favourite kind of books are the ones you reflect and think about later on. i feel like the cather in the rye is one of those, but because i haven’t understood it completely yet i cannot give it an a+. i do however give it a 4 out of 6 stars, because even though i struggled with all the details and lack of breaks within the story, i like what i have gotten from it, and what i most likely will get from it later on.
-
i will recommend the cather in the rye for those who want something different than a quick and easy read. you must like analyzing books, and accept that you probably won’t understand everything by yourself.

Content Warnings