J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, published in 1951, has become known as an American classic – but it has also been highly controversial, to the extent of being banned in certain schools. The novel has been the center of several debates, with some arguing the moral issues and psychological battles presented are eye-opening and “relevant to the youth of today,” forcing readers to reexamine society, while others criticize it and claim the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is profane and “strays from typical American ideals” (Lomazoff, 1996). Regardless of an individual’s view of the novel, they are unlikely to deny Holden’s powerful influence on teenagers, acting as a universal icon of rebellion and angst. The novel follows the life of Holden
