The Reason Behind the Censorship of Salinger's Catcher In The Rye

Likewise, the novel teaches good themes by providing juxtaposition between good themes and bad themes in such a way that the reader can relate to it. For instance, in the novel, Holden is with Sunny, a young prostitute in his hotel room. But prior to engaging in any sexual activity, Holden realizes that what he is doing is wrong and he shouldn’t be doing something like this. As Holden says, “I sat down…and offered her a cigarette…I felt much more depressed than sexy…Honest to God, I’ll pay you and all, but do you mind very much if we don’t do it?” (Salinger, 123-125) Although not all teenagers smoke, chances are an ordinary teenager would at least know someone who does, and most likely does it to relieve depression, just like Holden and that way the reader can relate to the novel’s themes. And just like any teenager would, they would try to carry out the situation smoothly and calmly, which shows how the reader can relate to the novel’s themes because any teenager in a similar situation would do what Holden did. While people may argue that people shouldn’t be exposed to adult and inappropriate themes, people do need to be exposed to it to

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,

Holden’s interactions with Sally Hayes and the nuns challenges Holden’s way of thinking because his corrupt way of thinking will prevent him from functioning very well in life especially with his negative outlook on life and others. Holden got lucky that he happened to know English literature so he could relate with the

Holden’s adventure is well known for its vulgarity. Throughout the novel, Holden uses numerous words and expresses ideas widely considered profane. In addition to the cursing, messages such as “the Army was practically as full of bastards as the Nazis were” (Salinger 155) promote anti-American values. This shows that Holden does not respect the United States’ brave freedom fighters, and that he lacks the capacity to care about anybody but himself. Holden speaks badly about women and degrades them often, even asking for the services of a prostitute and then

The Catcher in the Rye is a novel about a teen/adult named Holden Caulfield that took place in the 1950’s in New York which is the perfect setting for a kid to become an adult because of its size, but Holden Caulfield was telling the story in a mental hospital in California. Throughout the novel Holden is transitioning from a kid to an adult and he takes us along with him to experience what it is like to become an adult. Due to the fact that Holden is maturing, J.D. Salinger, the author of the Catcher in the Rye, decides it is appropriate to disregard censorship and so the book contains a lot of vulgar and inappropriate scenes. J.D. Salinger published the Catcher in the Rye and about ten years

The Catcher in the Rye has been an instant classic since it was first published. It has been on the New York Times Best Seller list along with being among the most banned books in the U.S. It has been banned for its harsh language and bad behavior. But truly these are not good reasons to ban a book; a book that is so enjoyed by many readers and the reality of the protagonist. It is never good to hear profound language but the book is just showing how the teenage world actually is in many cases. Most teenagers are going threw a lot at that time in their lives, not always to the extreme like Holdren, but hard times none the less. The language in the book is nothing teens are not

Holden’s need to save others from a loss of innocence also manifests itself as a compulsion to shield children from obscenities. Upon arriving at Phoebe’s school to deliver a note, he notices that someone has written an obscenity on the wall: “Somebody had written ‘Fuck you’ on the wall. It drove me damn near crazy. I thought how Phoebe and all the other little kids would see it … and then finally some dirt kid would tell them - all cockeyed, naturally - what it meant … I kept wanting to kill whoever’d written it” (201). Holden reacts with an unexpected level of hatred for whomever had written it.

Readers are able to sympathize and identify with Holden’s rowdy behavior: making immature decisions, breaking relationships, and wanted to act more like an adult. Because of this, the audience recognizes Holden as a speaker for the young generation, no matter what year. Moreover, Holden represents the teenage rebellion and angst that

In 1951, the public was introduced to sixteen year old Holden Caulfield, a character created and narrated by J.D. Salinger, in his first novel, The Catcher in the Rye. Throughout the book’s lifetime, it has been a subject of constant debates and controversies. The novel has only been the target of ridicule and criticisms, but has also sparked intriguing discussion on its validity for use of high schools (Top 10 Censored Books). The Catcher in the Rye is banned due to meeting the requirements for censorship. Censorship is the practice of officially examining books, movies, etc., and suppressing unacceptable parts (Merriam-Webster).

There are several issues in our world that come with controversy; whether it’s about our president, or something as small as whether pineapple goes on pizza, arguments will be started over it, and The Catcher in the Rye is no exception to controversy. For over an astounding 50 year period, there has been controversy about The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. The novel follows the three day misadventures of a teenager full of angst, Holden Caulfield. Due to its mature content, such as the profanity, violence, sexual situations, and use of underage drinking, the novel has been deemed inappropriate by many critics for a high school assignment. Despite its content, I believe that Catcher in the Rye is definitely a worthwhile novel to be taught to high school students. The novel establishes two things that high school teachers should look for; a strong theme about accepting reality, and the use of symbolism to institute a relatable sense within teens.

There have been many cases of censorship for this book, one instance being at Venado Middle School in Irvine, California in 1992. Students were provided the book, only to have all the “hells” and “damns” blacked out. After parents, students, and media protested, the school eventually gave in and agreed to discontinue the use of the censored copies. The initial reasoning of this censorship was to dissuade the use of profanity in their students. However, according to Cursing in America by Timothy Jay, one of the leading scholars in profanity, the average adolescent uses 80-90 swear words in a day. Undoubtedly, some being much worse than “hell” or “damn”. It is not just in casual locations where youth swear, but it is increasing in the classroom as well. Students are

Kingsolver started writing it in 1993, it was published in 1998 by HarperCollins publishing company.

Towards the end of the novel Holden gets really dramatic and freaks out about writings on a wall “I saw something that drove me crazy, Somebody written “F**k you” on the wall//it drove me crazy//I wanted to kill whoever written it.” Holden also hated the “Ivy League bastards” he states “ I wouldn't go to on of those Ivy League colleges, if I was dying, for God’s sake.” The little irrelevant things that arouses in Holden’s day to day life really upsets him. His surroundings in everyday life makes him angry and heated.

Holden Caulfield, a boy who struggles with his mental health, starts his story by saying, “I’m not going to tell you my whole goddam autobiography or anything. I’ll just tell you about this madman stuff that happened to me around last Christmas” (Salinger 3). Published in 1951, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger depicts a three-day journey of Holden as he tries to find out more about himself. Through his struggle, Holden experiences many obstacles and events, such as depression and profanity, that take place in most teenager’s lives, making the book a primary target for banning due to offensive language, suicidal tendencies, sexual content, violence, and outright negativity (Information). Though The Catcher in the Rye contains controversial topics, such as depression, vulgar language, and sexual discrimination, the novel is still relevant and relatable to teens today; therefore, the story should remain an option for students to read.

The release of Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone in Britain was originally called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The book was written by J.K Rowling in 1990 when she started the franchise. Her first book in the series was then published in 1997 by the publishing company called Bloomsburg. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K Rowling was banned from school libraries in 2001 because of its Un-Christian like content and has mischievous behavior of the main characters, and it should be banned.