J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye

by Harold Bloom

Critical essays discuss the language, symbolism, and psychological structure of the classic novel of Holden Caulfield's search for identity.

Genres: Literary Criticism, Nonfiction, Literature, Classics

176 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2000

About the author

Harold Bloom was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. In 2017, Bloom was called "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world." After publishing his first book in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including over 40 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and one novel. He edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm. Bloom's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1995.
Bloom was a defender of the traditional Western canon at a time when literature departments were focusing on what he derided as the "school of resentment" (multiculturalists, feminists, Marxists, and others). He was educated at Yale University, the University of Cambridge, and Cornell University.

Reviews

[عماد العتيلي · Rating 5 out of 5]

‎‫‏‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I like the way Bloom thinks! He deserves to be called a literary critic!
This is another useful book for every serious researcher who needs to get an insightful look inside The Catcher in the Rye!

[Kevin Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you teach Catcher: get this book. The essays relating the text to adolescence are great for getting students more interested in the text.

[Piero Marmanillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro que arroja muchas claves para interpretar The Catcher in the Rye.

[Alexander Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waiting for the edition were all the stalkers and convicts write analytical essays.
Rated 5 stars just because cultural reklevance.

[madika ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

it only took 182 pages for me to start enjoying it🤗

[Boumy Sandberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

probably I did not grasp it...

[Elizabeth Anderson]

A lot of people think that Catcher in the Rye is pretentious, but I can see a lot of humanity in the way that Salinger has written Holden, and for that I love this book. Holden is a complex, charming character, and although he's attracted a lot of creeps, I believe that he's a really good kid trying to find his own way in the world - a universal truth, packaged in a naive and bitter teen with a story to tell.

[Gea]

So far this is a really funny book.This book is supposed to get good.I have seen so far how holden has sort of mixed personalities

[Scott P · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

[Kaylie]

so far......i don't really have a comment...

[Robert Morrow · Rating 1 out of 5]

I never could figure out what people saw in this book. I found the lead character uninteresting in every respect and the story dull, dull, dull. Sorry!

[PB · Rating 4 out of 5]

The essays were really helpful and each provided their
own proven and reasonable perspectives..
What talented writers we have in this world!

[Sylvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn't get what this book was all about...