Essay about The Catcher in the Rye Should be Included in the Curriculum

The reader often searches for a glimpse of himself in the characters he is reading about, and this is especially true with the adolescent readers of The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. The author paints a picture of a conflicted youth by emphasizing his idiosyncrasies, and although Caulfield’s traits may seem exaggerated and alien at times, he is a character who is relatable to American youth today. Holden Caulfield has a strong sense of civic duty that is overshadowed only by his suicidal tendencies, is exceedingly sensitive to the evil in the world and prone to angst, yet empathetic to the emotional upheaval other children will experience when entering adulthood.

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.

Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye has been into continuous dispute and controversy since its publication in 1951. Some critics think that Salinger 's narrative of the human plight is engrossing and enlightening, yet incredibly depressing. The leading character, Holden Caulfield, serves as the basis for critical discussion due to his psychological conflict. Salinger 's portrayal of Holden, which encloses incidents of dejection, nervous breakdown, impulsive spending, sexual exploration, and other wandering behavior, have all assist to the controversial nature of the novel. Yet the novel is praised by its piercing advocates, who argue that it is a critical look at the problems facing American youth during the 1950 '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,

Almost everyone can relate to this novel due to it being about the hardships and accomplishments on a young adult's life. In many ways, the novel portrays a similar theme of a teenagers experience in New York. For example, when Holden is talking about is life in New York he claims “I hate living in New York and all. Taxicabs, and Madison avenue buses, with the drivers and all always yelling at you to get out at the rear door” (17.41-55). This quote portrays Holden's point of view on New York in general. Many teenagers today feel the same way about people and public transportation. They may be under the thought that the world is horrible and out to get them. One thing teenagers might not relate to is the underage drinking shown in bars and Holdens lifestyle while living

Though this book may be ‘inappropriate’ to some, this inappropriateness is what allows readers to see how the world actually works. “The Catcher in the Rye should not be seen as a book full of negative ideas being fed to teenagers, but should be a chance for teenagers to identify themselves with a literary character.” (Why is it Banned and should it Remain Banned?). Letting teens read this book, not only gives them a connection, but a relationship that lures them to continue reading because they often find themselves in the same shoes as Holden. Protecting and preventing your child from what they should and shouldn’t do, will only cause rebellious acts to come upon you, the parents.

Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger provides its readers with societal values of the 1950s time period by examining the actions of the main character, Holden Caulfield. Salinger possibly had written this classic novel in order to give an analytical view on the society of the 1950s. In an obscure matter, J.D. Salinger provides examples of society’s faults; in other words the reader must assess further about the main message of the novel, the hidden message(s). For instance, in one case, a library banned Catcher in the Rye because of moral issue concerns, excessive violence and anything dealing with the occult. Furthermore, the novel, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger portrays a philosophical criticism of society by challenging its ethics, morals, and To begin, ethical values of society ignite an internal conflict

It has been brought to my attention that this week in nationally known as Banned Books Week. As a concerned parent, who wants the best education for their child, I am writing to you to take action against several novels commonly taught in schools that should not be presented to students. Although many books can be questioned during this week, the focus of this letter is on The Catcher in the Rye, a classic book written by J.D. Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye should not be a part of Center Grove’s curriculum presented to students to ensure the best education for students by avoiding the novel’s frequent cursing, sexual content, and violence.

These two themes are seen most when Holden goes to New York for three days. Holden has the opportunity to have sex with Sunny, the prostitute, but realizes Sunny is not the girl for him so he makes up an elaborate lie to get himself out of the situation. In chapter twenty, after Holden meets up with a fellow classmate, Carl Luce, he gets super drunk. Being drunk and naïve, Holden decides to go to the lagoon to see if there are any ducks there. Holden then sits on the bench and thinks about the consequences if he were to die of pneumonia right then and there. Through these two examples of sex and drinking in the Catcher in the Rye, us, the readers, are exposed to the realities and consequences of the negatives of sex and drinking in the real world. If you were to censor The Catcher and the Rye, teens wouldn’t be able to see the actual dangers that occur in the real world that are portrayed in this novel. The Catcher and the Rye exposes us, the readers, to difficult topics such as sex and alcohol and serves as a method for teens to ask questions and learn so they don’t make these mistakes in the real

Controversial books are normally challenged to preserve a safe idea of the world around us to kids and young adults specifically, who may find it hard to process strenuous ideas that imply the world is not as easy and wonderful as it seems. Books such as The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger are constantly challenged due to the profanity and inappropriateness of the book. Many parents and teachers are concerned that upon reading the book, students will change their perspective on life, authority, and non-conformity for the worst. The Catcher in the Rye should not be banned because it’s very relevant to teens this day and age and it has a strong impact with a powerful theme and delivered in a manner that teens are familiar with and can understand.

Holden’s experience teaches teenages about struggles, in so many ways. For instance in The Catcher in the Rye taught me about self awareness such as realizing you can only change yourself and nobody else. I will never be able to change anyone else actions, but our own. Holden’s struggle with depression hit close to home for me. I know what it’s like to feel so depressed and unstable. However while reading the novel holden’s story made me feel like I wasn’t alone. I finally felt like I had someone who understood my thoughts completely. “I got pretty run-down and had to come out here and take it easy” (Salinger 3). I know what it’s like to be pretty run-down, when I was in the hospital for three days before I got admitted in kidspeace.

J.D. Salinger’s classic novel The Catcher in the Rye has old over sixty-five million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling books of all time. The Catcher in the Rye is also one of the most cherished books in the history of American literature, and the novel is taught in many schools across the nation. Salinger’s book is filled with valuable lessons about growing up, but has been the subject of controversy for many years because of its frequent references to premarital sex, underage drinking, and profane language. The Catcher in the Rye has been banned several times in some school districts for its use of adult material, but it always seems to find a way back into classrooms because of its importance to American literature. Still,

J.D Salinger’s fictional novel ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ explores ideas of coming of age and challenging society’s morals through the life of Holden Caulfield, the young protagonist of the novel. The term ‘coming of age’ can be defined as when someone reaches an important stage in development and is accepted by a large number of people. The word ‘morals’ is concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction of right and wrong. Themes such as innocence, isolation and youth reside in the novel, the audience is made aware of Caulfield’s view on children’s innocence, the isolation he feels and how he perceives adults as ‘phony’.

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.