Banning Catcher In The Rye

Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D Salinger is a classic novel that is not only controversial but contains relatable characters such as Holden Caulfield. Holden is a 16 year old boy who has gone through so much pain and hurt throughout his life that he has given up in school and during the novel you start to see that he has given up at life itself as well. Holden struggles with depression, unhealthy drinking habits and with failing out of school. These three struggles are very relatable to teenagers these days. In the following paragraphs I will show you the connection between teenagers these days and Holden and the the similarities that make him such a relatable character. Holden is an ideal and universal representation of teenagers.

Many schools throughout the United States have banned The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger from their curriculums. There has been much debate on whether or not teachers should be able to include it as a part of their lesson, and if copies should be allowed in libraries. However, without a doubt, The Catcher in the Rye should be apart of schools’ curriculums for anyone above elementary school. There are very few inappropriate themes, banning the novel would be neglecting the First Amendment, and would also ignore a good chance for teens to relate to a character their age.

The Catcher in the Rye has always been a book of controversy. Schools have banned it due to its vivid description of how a teeneger observes the world. Holden who is The protagonist’s sees the world as very morbid place for young people. Many people believe the book brings up controversial topics that should not be discussed among minors such as Holden Caulfield. Most of the topics expressed in the book could be acceptable in today's society but it caused many concerns and issues around the time it was released, 1951. In my opinion however this book has one of the greatest qualities in literature and thats relating to the reader. It should not be banned because adolescents have been able to identify with Holden’s

From its publication, The Catcher in the Rye gained widespread aversion from schools through its blatant profanity. But despite the time gap since the publication in the 1950s until now, the book explores immortal themes of adolescence and maturing still relevant today. Symbolizing the average teenage life, adolescents throughout the country are able to connect to Holden without question. As Holden agonizes over his purpose and depression, teens relate to this some intangible part of themselves. Holden frustrates over dating, drinking, low grades, switching schools, and life in general. Suddenly, in a second, as the adult world threatens the once serene childhood, as the weight of responsibility of being an adult crashes, Holden crumbles.

There are people who would like to see The Catcher in the Rye banned from our schools because it contains disturbing issues. In my opinion they are overlooking the message that J.D. Salinger was trying to communicate. In this novel, the characters exhibit a wide scope of behaviors from honorable to ignominious. The novel presents issues such as respect for religion, or lack thereof. As though these issues were not enough by themselves, there is also the subject of intolerance of others. How, may you ask, should this novel be allowed in our schools? Well, the answer lies deep within the symbolism of the novel,

Nineteen million American adults suffer from a major case of depression (Web MD). That is a staggering one in every fifteen people (2 in our classroom alone). Holden Caulfield is clearly one of those people. Depression is a disease that leads to death but is also preventable. Psychology, stressful events, and prescription drugs are causes of depression. Stressful events brought on Holden’s depression. Holden has been trying to withstand losing a brother, living with careless parents, and not having many friends. The Catcher in the Rye is a book that takes us through the frazzled life of Holden Caulfield, who appears to be just a regular teen. But by hearing his thoughts and through heart-wrenching events in the book, the reader learns that

J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, is one of the most controversial books ever written. The book has been banned in many places, while at the same time being viewed as an American classic. There is a great deal of controversy on banning the book in schools across America, due to it’s content. The story follows a mentally ill teen, Holden Caulfield, delving into his thoughts and feelings. The Catcher in the Rye should be banned for it's many controversial views and topics, including the use of vulgar language, illegal activities, it’s association with assassinations and its suicidal content.

Being a teenager is hard. There are even many struggles that a person has to face throughout their adolescent years such as dating, getting good grades, and keeping a good relationship with friends and family. For Holden, the protagonist in The Catcher in the Rye, going through the traditional high school’s struggles wasn’t easy. In addition to all the ‘normal’ challenges that every teenager has, Holden also had depression. Depression cast a dark shadow that followed Holden all throughout the story. Despite all of this, Holden made his life difficult for himself by doing things such as unfairly judging people, telling numerous lies and having a pessimistic attitude. Holden’s life, and the lives of the people around him could have been much simpler if he tried using these traits in a positive way. Instead Holden’s life was unnecessarily complicated, as he forced challenges onto himself from the way he behaved.

Throughout Catcher in the Rye Holden Caulfield, a young boy who has recently been expelled from Pencey Prep, shows severe signs of depression that progress throughout the book. Although one may argue that the chapter in which Holden describes the suicide of James Castle is the peak of his depression, chapter 20 best exemplifies Holden’s severe depression by drowning his thoughts in alcohol, fantasizing his own death, funeral, and how his family would be affected if he died. During chapter 20 Holden’s drinking becomes excessive and is a coping mechanism for his depression. Holden starts to drown his thoughts in alcohol and use it as a coping mechanism for his depression. “I sat in that goddamn bar till around one o’clock or so getting drunk as a basard. I could

There has been a debate about whether or not the novel, The Catcher in the Rye should be allowed in schools. The book covers many serious topics but, it’s very important for teenagers to learn about these issues because the main character Holden Caulfield himself is only a teenager going through what anyone his age could wind up going through. The Catcher in the Rye should continue being read in school because it shows the importance of respect for adolescents, how time can change a person, and how people must not dwell from the past but learn from it. The novel Shows the importance of respect to adolescents.

If some schools or parents decided to censor their students from the book, those who were censored and not permitted to read the book would not have the same learning experience or gain the same skills that those who read the book do. Only a sadistic educator or parent would purposefully want their student to be disadvantaged. If they wanted their kids to accomplish every goal possible, they would not censor The Catcher In The Rye. The Catcher In The Rye has many educational advantages it’s the “Great American High School Novel,” due to what we can learn and what many generations have already learned from this valuable piece of literature (Huffington post). Many people believe that The Catcher In The Rye is a great novel so no one should be censored from reading it's wholesome content.

Censorship of literature is a barrier between innocence and indiscretion. There is a fine line between the two characteristics in younger people. The loss of innocence is the ultimate reason for the suppression of novels throughout high schools. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is one of the most challenged novels of all time since its release in 1951. This classic novel is a depiction of an out of place 16-year-old teenager’s depressing habitat in a 3 day time period portrayed as the passage of adolescence.

The novel is written in modern language, with a story that may intrigue many teenagers. However, although teens may be able to closely relate with the characters in this novel, The Catcher in the Rye should indeed be banned from being taught in public

The Catcher in the Rye features a multitude of examples in which Holden is overwhelmingly suicidal and represents undesirable viewpoints. At one point in the novel, Holden admits, “what I really felt like though, was committing suicide” (Salinger 116). His pessimistic attitude and outlook on life can have a negative effect on the reader. “[The book] has been banned on the lighter premises of using profanities and being sexually explicit/suggestive, while it has also been banned for darker interpretations of the book, such as being part of a Communist plot, anti-religious, and promotive of homosexuality and perversion” (Bohan). The supports for banning are prevalent throughout the book, with no doubt that they are factual reasons. Nevertheless, the literary value and representation of adolescents in any time period overwhelm the reasons for banning the book.

A writer for The New York Times, Nash Burger, states, “Holden is bewildered, lonely, ludicrous and pitiful. His troubles, his failings are not of his own making but of a world that is out of joint. There is nothing wrong with him that a little understanding and affection, preferably from his parents, couldn't have set right. Though confused and unsure of himself, like most 16-year-olds, he is observant and perceptive and filled with a certain wisdom. His minor delinquencies seem minor indeed when contrasted with adult delinquencies with which he is confronted.”