I did not read this book once or twice. I read it whenever I could. Tens of times. Sometimes I had to hold my breath to finish it. It was a book to remind.
One may think that I was influenced by that average Mel Gibson movie Conspiracy Theory and "the assassin of Kennedy had a copy of Catcher in the Rye in his pocket" legend, but it was not so. However it is true that I found myself reading the book after I watched the film. But the reason I repeated reading it, is nothing to with the American this and that.
I suppose there are many people who may regard this book as pulp or a passtime magazine. I prefer to leave them be. Holden Caulfield is about how every one of us is disgustingly fake and how each and every one of us continues to pretend we aren't so. The only way out is to embrace that fake-ness. It's not as bad as it sounds you know.
I used to read the ending just to remind myself what was going on in the whole book. Holden's sister IS the catcher. She is the whole point in life. At least for Holden. Everyone has some catcher. Or else, I don't know what.
I also like the bit on the prostitute. I do not know why, she gave me a tense realization of Holden's inner conflict. She gave me possibilities of every character of the book. It is also the texture of the book. It is a book of possibilities. You never really know any character for sure. Except for the sister whose name I forgot. She is the only divine figure in this godless, wanna-be-tragedy. I'd very much like to dig into the concept of godlessness and the modern in "Catcher in the Rye" but that's a plan for the future for now.
This book must be read to love or hate, not to like or dislike or say "hmm, I guess it's just a book". Or else it's just faking to have read it.