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Jade asked this question about The Catcher in the Rye:
Am i the only person who fails to understand why this book is considered a classic, to me it was boring and tedious and the plot failed to engross me as many other books have?
J Smith There is no plot. There is no real story. There is no real ending. The style and use of language is very sub-par (even while keeping the era in mind).…moreThere is no plot. There is no real story. There is no real ending. The style and use of language is very sub-par (even while keeping the era in mind). I had to force myself to finish it since I had already started it and thought there surely must be more to justify its popularity.

Nothing "classic" about it and I won't even start comparing with someone like Charles Dickens. It's like the author went on acid or LSD and just wrote whatever came to mind in a chronological order.

I would rather recommend something like "Babbit" by Sinclair Lewis which is in a similar vein and era..

In all honesty, I think the only reason this book remained popular is due to the fact that Mark David Chapman who assassinated John Lennon had a copy of the book on him. Thus creating a "cult" around the book. And the free use of language (especially regarding "God") which was considered taboo at the time had pushed some boundaries. So kids who read it may have felt like some kind of "rebels" so to speak. Like I felt naughty and adventurous reading Lady Chatterley's Lover in the 80's as a teenager.

I guess many people can relate to it though. I could relate to a lot of it myself - but it is still badly written and a bit without direction, plot or conclusion. Still doesn't deserve the word "classic" - just breaking taboos and writing rules at the time really.(less)
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The Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. Salinger
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