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Catcher In The Rye *Spoilers*
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Jo
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Aug 03, 2009 01:22AM

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Like Holden, I am afraid of change and it was remarkable to see how optimistic Holden eventually becomes. It made ME feel more optimistic because he realizes that although not all change is good...not all change is bad either and that's something...I really connected with this book. SO good...

I just finished reading this book. My first thought was that the book didnt have much of a point. It was basically a weekend in the life of a messed up kid. But that aside i did really like it. He was a misfit that no one really understood and he was lonely and depressed. It reminded me of when i was that age and its an important point in your life where change is happening and its scary and you can feel lost

Yeah i can see your point Jessica. Dont get me wrong i did like it i just prefered the "wallflower" approach. It was over a longer amount of time and explained more. Maybe if "Catcher" was longer and went into more of his life i would have liked it more. I gave it 4 stars though because i could relate to how confusing it is being that age. Also when i was that age i didnt have any idea what i wanted to do with my life so i had nothing to work towards and i felt very lost. The writing showed very well how he didnt know what to do with himself in general nevermind the bigger picture. Like how he would go to call someone and then not do it

I like that you mentioned the bit where Holden would go to pick up the phone to call someone and then would change his mind. It's those instances that make it so relatable for me. I can remember being at that age and feeling restless. "I'll call my friend Gina. NO, don't think I will. Maybe I'll read. Nah, it's too hot..." Hell, I still feel that way some days. Like I have all this pent up energy and yet I can't think of one thing I would like to do to spend it.
Holden is so painfully awkward at times and yet he tries so hard to hit upon the thing he needs to mollify him. I loved the part where he visited his family's home and had that conversation with his kid sister. She was one of my favorite characters. :)
Yeah i loved his sister too. I thought she was great. I liked how he just broke into the home just to talk to her for a bit.
Maybe i will try another book by the author and see what i think. I think that if this book was longer and had more of an ending rather than, im not going to tell you anymore, then i might have enjoyed it more. Still i am glad i read it after everyone telling me i would like it if i liked "wallflower". Maybe thats the problem. Because i read "wallflower" first and it was a more indepth and longer book, i felt a bit hard done by when i read "catcher".
I dont really remember being in the kind of mood where i would want to talk to someone but then not feel like it. I was quite a solitary kid and i never really longed to talk to someone or anything. It was only really when i left school and had no contact with people my age that i felt the need to talk to them. I could relate to him on a lot of things though and found it interesting to read.
Maybe i will try another book by the author and see what i think. I think that if this book was longer and had more of an ending rather than, im not going to tell you anymore, then i might have enjoyed it more. Still i am glad i read it after everyone telling me i would like it if i liked "wallflower". Maybe thats the problem. Because i read "wallflower" first and it was a more indepth and longer book, i felt a bit hard done by when i read "catcher".
I dont really remember being in the kind of mood where i would want to talk to someone but then not feel like it. I was quite a solitary kid and i never really longed to talk to someone or anything. It was only really when i left school and had no contact with people my age that i felt the need to talk to them. I could relate to him on a lot of things though and found it interesting to read.

As for more of Salinger's works...he didn't really write longer stories. Franny and Zoey is about the same length, give or take. He also wrote a collection of nine short stories...but obviously, they're short. And then Raise High the Roof Beam wasn't that long either. Hm...still, I would recommend Franny and Zoey one day when you're in want for something short to read. :)


I liked it that Salinger played the story out over a weekend rather than over a long period. I find long-term depression too morale-sapping, like the person is just wasting his/her life. It makes me more depressed than the protagonist. I liked it that Holden wandered around one weekend, trying to get over his problems, rather than spend an eternity trying to fix them.
Quite a hangover I am in now!
Glad you loved the book Aths. He did say phony a LOT! lol. I could relate on that part. I often think people are "phoney" and its annoys me

You totally captured the essence of the book and the feelings Holden experienced! I'm so glad you liked it! You like it for the same reasons I do! I felt the same way when I was done with the book...like I needed to recover! Great comment Aths!
I wasnt really affected by this book. Once i finished it, it didnt really stay with me at all if you know what i mean


That is the one part of the book that my son really, really identified with. He, too, feels that the world is filled with phony people who hide their truth behind a veil of dishonesty. I think he's rather astute to see that at his tender age of 15, because he dead right. NO ONE tells the truth unless it's to their own benefit and then it's never the whole truth. Can you imagine what the world would be like if no one could lie or be deceitful in any way? We'd all need pretty thick skins or else everyone would have to be silent. Interesting idea.
Yeah its the part of the book that i related to most because its true. The world would be a crazy if everyone told the truth all the time for sure! Its the people that become something that they think the world expects them to be that are the most phoney. People that say things and do things and like things that they think they should.

That is the one part of the book that my so..."
It's great that your son loves the book so much! I was a little older then him when I first read it but I wished I had read it when I was younger as I felt much the same way as your son. He's obviously a very clever boy! I bet he has his mom to thank for that. ;) I agree with the three of you in regards to society in general. That's probably why the mere thought of venturing out where I know I will be expected to "be social for once" completely depresses me as I know I will have to listen and watch people put up glamours of themselves instead of just being honest. Especially here in LA where people are flaky and insincere. It would be amazing if people were more genuine. Rebecca, have you or your son read Franny and Zooey? If you like this book and Salinger you will definitely like Franny and Zooey. Just a suggestion. ;) great comments!

Great novel, very real and full-bodied characters, and very relatable to the young.

I felt Salinger's book could apply to people of all ages. The angst, the confusion, the inability to take decisions, plague all ages, but mostly the teen years. Unlike most other YA novels, I felt this was one book that anyone could pick and relate to. Whereas novels like Twilight or Uglies has a highly specific audience. I'm not sure I would even categorize Catcher in the Rye as YA, but it definitely is a worthier candidate for that section.

I agree with you. I do feel this book is much more accessible to all ages as opposed to Uglie...which, I am sorry to say, as much as I love YA this series has never looked enticing to me. It's just too young for me I think...Catcher in the Rye gets better with age too. I read it in high school for the first time (I think) and then picked it up again when I was older and loved it even more!

Uglies really was a boring series. I struggled through the first two books, and may or may not read the remaining two. I need a break from all the pretty-making, and bogus and fashion-missing things of Prettyville!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSR8J6...
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqfThm...
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUnQ-w...

Yeah...that is exactly what I thought the books would be about. Not my cup of tea I guess.
Shelli, I would love for you to re-read it and see how Holden has changed for you over the years? He meant more to me the second time around then the first...

Jessica...there goes another on the TBR...maybe I'll start a shelf of TBR AGAIN!

lol. OH I am there and then some...My TBR shelf has now taken up the top of my piano as well. I reeeeally hope I don't need to get her tuned for a long time...:\