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Summary: i love you, holden caulfield
Review: in a period of 3 days, holden was able to express every emotion that i feel. is there anything else to be said?
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Summary: Perfection
Review: This book does not need fantasy or science fiction to be great - all it needs is a truth and understanding of a kids point of view, with the writing skills of an adult. For a character with such exact point of views, I find myself constantly agreeing with Holden.
The little one linners such as "that killed me", give such a great understanding, and are placed perfectly. Other books would have looked deminished with such short and precise sentences, but it only enhances the catcher in the rye. And to the greatest band (IMO) Greenday, this, is who wrote Holden Caulfield.
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Summary: Real, Genuine, and Heartbreaking
Review: This is perhaps my favorite novel of all time. While Holden is a whiny, unambitious teenager, his observations on life and the world around him suggest a sadly wasted intellect. As a teacher, this is the aspect of the novel that draws me to it. In the beginning, Holden is telling his story from an unnamed place, where he claims he "came out here to take it easy." He confesses that he doesn't want to share his life story, but rather a few interesting days in which he was expelled from a prep school and made the concious decion not to return home, to roam the streets instead. He cleverly describes that day as "that kind of crazy afternoon, terrifically cold, and no sun out or anything, and you felt like you were disappearing every time you crossed a road"(5). And so Holden's misadventure begins. One of the most common complaints involving this novel is its negative language. This is simply a reflection of Holden's pessimistic and negative outlook. Regardless, he is surprisingly insightful. Perhaps the most outstanding scene of the book is when Holden has discovered graffiti at his sisters school, the "f-word" in fact. He is angry, thinking of his sister discovering it. Holden rambles in hos own way about how nothing is sacred: "That's the whole trouble. You can't ever find a place that's nice and peaceful, because there isn't any. You may think there is, but once you get there, when you're not looking, somebody'll sneak up and write "F--- you" right under your nose. I think, even, if I ever die, and they stick me in a cemetery, and I have a tombstone and all, it'll say "Holden Caulfield" on it, and then what year I was born, and what year I died, and then right under that it'll say "F--- you"(204). In spite of Holden's whiny, negative personality, it is the spark of hope and wasted intelligence in him that gives this novel its life. Brilliant and impressive.
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Summary: AWESOME BOOK!
Review: This is one of the most captivating novel. i like the fact that Holden is not the typical teenager who has to follow "phony" grown ups. I indeed enjoy this book and recommend this to any teenager who doesn't like read, you sure enjoy it after reading this novel.
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Summary: very accurate book.
Review: This book is really rather good. I like the straightforward way that Holden tells the story; to me at least, it wasn't hugely emotional or descriptive, he just sets these observations down (some of which are very funny.) His excuse for not sleeping with the hooker was that he didn't think he could "ever do it with somebody who sits in a movie all day long." And fair enough. I think he really loved Jane, too. If you read Ghost World (it's not long at all) Enid says the same sort of thing about not wanting to sell goofy gus to a guy with a trendy hairdo. These are honestly, -at least in my experience- the kind of things you think when you're younger. It's not so much being chicken, but I think it's following your heart, and trying not to compromise (even with little things.) I'm still wondering what kind of place in the world kids like Holden and Enid would have. Holden seems to adjust his behaviour for different sorts of people, as if it's just to gauge them. He's observing them. I watch my younger cousin do this all the time at parties and it's really interesting. Holden sort of goes here and there, meets people and gets along with anyone, but he's perceptive and can see all this "phony" stuff that's going on. I don't really think he's being arrogant, because a lot of young people -the age group he mostly hung out with- want to be different. On top of that most people have to act phony for jobs. It's a part of life, sadly. I read through this in a day or two. It's easy to get into. Words like "classic" slapped across a book don't really mean a lot to me, and I even was a little wary of it because of all these great reviews, but I really enjoyed it. My favourite time in the book is when he is with Phoebe, it's very sweet. The only thing I didn't like about the book was some of the old phrases and bad language, but that is really minor.
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Summary: Catcher in the Rye
Review: I did not like the book Catcher in The Rye by J. D. Salinger. I thought that the main character Holden Caulfield is very arrogant and opinionated. He knows that he is mentally loose, but he goes on through the story without getting any help. Anyone who has different beliefs than him is a phony. Anytime he is socially insecure about himself he makes a wrong decision, like when he blows the smoke in the nuns face. Holden is especially uneasy about his relation ship with girls. In my opinion all he really needs is to lose the attitude and to listen to someone that can help him.
The part of the novel that I did enjoy was when Holden finally went home to visit phoebe. Holden has a true appreciation to her innocence. This is the final reason on why he stays home and does not go out west. I also liked the fact that the story began and ended in the mental hospital, which helps to explain some of Holden's mental trouble. Holden uses some language that shows his instability and why he has failed out of three schools.
I think that Holden feels that he has to keep up to his fathers' standard as his two brothers did. In my opinion part of the reason for his mental breakdown is due to the death of his brother Allie. He references Allie several times in the novel when he is asked what makes him happy. Again this relates to the loneliness and depressing attitude of the story. Overall in my opinion, I do not recommend reading this book due to the negative character and unnecessary language.
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Summary: An articulation of our contradictory beliefs
Review: This book will, as it has done to me, and to an innumerable amount of people, captivate and enthrall you at every single turn. People generally,have many misconceptions about the book, especiallly after the killing of John Lennon- although I'm not insinuating that the book did not prove to be a catalyst for that reaction, it just seems to me that the irrational mind would have been defeated and betrayed to kill such a peace loving individual whether or not he had read this marvellous book.
The books protagonist, Holden caulfield, is the embodiment of all of our morals and ideals; the regular defiance of corrupt authority, the complete and utter loathing for phonies and the dream which is plainly, yet beautifully put as " All i ever wanted to be was the Catcher in the rye". For those of you unfamiliar with the text, the metaphorical suggestion of being this catcher, is to keep children innocent; stopping them from falling into the depths of corruption, greed and avarice. However, what has always struck me is the obvious contradiction between his personality and what he believes; he acts like a member of the cynical generation x, but incorporates all of the traits typical of a revolutionary.
The book, unlike many others, which now try to go to extremes to shock people, has the simplest and minimalist plot presented in a form just as simplistic; yet I am still fascinated by Holden's continuing nostaligia and pensive tone, the claustrophobic sex and ghosts which always haunt him. Salinger was truly ahead of his time here.
When speaking to several of fellow readers, they complained that the book did not hold any relevance today, therefore was not worth their time, unlike Wuthering heights, they said. However, this book is as relevant and significant to soceity today as it was when it was released; look at our governments, idols, musicians, footballers etc. We live in lottery ticket, game show nation that want to be millionaires and anarchists simultaneously; Holden shows that we can't.
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Summary: Timeless anthem to the lonely
Review: Even though this is a literary classic that almost everyone in America reads before graduating from High School, somehow I missed out on this one and was never required to read it for any class I took, even through college. I've heard numerous references to it through the years. Before killing John Lennon, Mark Chapman, who read and re-read the book many times - to the point of believing it was his own biography, asked Lennon to autograph his copy before gunning down the musician. John Hinckley, attempted assassin of Ronald Reagan, was another devotee of the short novel, as was Robert Bardo, killer of Rebecca Schaeffer (star of "My Sister Sam" on TV). There may be countless other criminals and stalkers who have identified with the book's main character, Holden Caulfield. In Mel Gibson's movie, "Conspiracy Theory," his character has an obsession with the book and must buy a copy every time he sees one. I finally had to pick up a copy and find out what all the fuss was about. Was the book about stalking and murder? Not exactly - but rather the motivating factor behind such heinous crimes of obsession. Caulfield, in his late teens, is a misfit in a world that doesn't tolerate misfits very well. His younger brother, who he dearly admired for being so likeable and genuine, has died of cancer. His older brother, D.B., lives in Hollywood, writing stories for the big screen, which is a loathsome thought for Caulfield. Caulfield is an introspective youth who hates being around fake people (who doesn't?), but doesn't try to get to know people well enough to find out whether they are really phony or not. He stumbles through life with his arms crossed in defiance, believing he's one of the few genuine people in the world. Growing up in an affluent home, being shuttled from one prep school to another, Caulfield finds himself ensconced with phonies and it makes him sick to his stomach. His refusal to acclimate results in him being kicked out of one school after another. The novel opens with his narrative of how he has been kicked out of Pencey, his latest prep school, and how he doesn't want to face his parents until they've gotten the news and calmed down a bit. He heads up to New York, getting a room in a fleabag hotel, then running from bar to bar, trying to find something that won't bore him. He's obsessed with avoiding boredom at all costs. He's constantly finding himself in situations where he fantasizes about killing people, but never defends himself because, he explains, he's "yellow." His inability to focus and attempt to express himself makes him frustrated and angry, finding contempt and hate for just about anyone for any reason, even those he loves. The story takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride of 2 and a half days as Holden Caulfield searches for meaning in his life, but finds only emptiness. The only thing he can seem to hold onto is the fantasy of building a cabin out in the middle of nowhere, where he never has to be around phonies again... he'd rather be alone, than lonely in the midst of crowds of phony-baloneys. After reading the book, it's easy to understand how such misfits as Hinckley, Bardo and Chapman used this book as their personal anthem and almost as a proxy, felt the need to act out in ways that Holden Caulfield was unable or unwilling to do. To the sane reader, Caulfield's character is a study in sadness and loneliness, not a character worth admiring - albeit his search for the truth in life is a noble cause. The book doesn't condone or condemn Caulfield, but rather states Caulfield's thoughts as they come to him. The sane reader can't help but want to reassure Caulfield that this is part of growing up and everything is going to be ok, and wonder where such people were in the lives of the famous stalkers who never had anyone reach out to them and slap them with some reality. As someone with ADHD, I found the book a fairly easy read. Parents should know that the book is wrought with foul language and sexually suggestive narratives. As a minor, Caulfield smokes, drinks and attempts to procure the services of a prostitute, among other things... so this is not light reading nor should this be the reading material of a young person not mature enough to separate fact from fiction. Salinger's writing style is interesting - detailed, yet quickly paced, and a good piece of literature as reference for the aspiring writer.
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Summary: A very entertaning read
Review: This is a great book that everyone should read especially people from 13-18 years old.
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Summary: Catcher in the Rye- a review
Review: ..........A 1950s teenager kicked out of his fourth prestigious prep school. A teenager who runs away to live on the streets of New York City. A teenager who undergoes countless adventures, from aggravating his roommates while still at school, to other antics after running away, such as hiring a prostitute and fighting her pimp, sneaking drinks from bars and getting drunk, irritating cab drivers with trivial questions, making girls cry, and running away from the only man who will help him in his troubles due to homophobia, before finally returning home. He is a teenager recounting his endeavors from the confines of a mental institution. If this sounds exciting to you, then perhaps you should consider reading J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye.
.........Holden Caulfield is a sixteen year-old student at Pency Preparatory School. Or rather, was a sixteen year-old student at Pency Prep. You see, he has gotten "the ax" due to his poor grades - failing every subject except for English. In a fit of agitation, fear, and sheer spontaneity, Holden runs away from Pency Prep a few days earlier than when he is supposed to leave, and spends the extra time essentially a fugitive, bearing it out on the streets of New York City.
.........Although Salinger's mind-blowing epic novel of teen angst and juvenile delinquency was an innovation in the literature of the time (thus keeping it on banned book lists even today), the novel's poor organization and second-rate language mechanics detract from the overall thrilling nature of the story. The book, itself, is overrated. But if you, the reader, can get past the shoddy writing, you will find Catcher in the Rye to be a very enchanting tale, indeed.
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