In school every student reads and analyses books for their english classes. Usually, those books are dependant on the preference of the teacher, but there are are a select group of novels that almost every student in America reads. The second most taught of these novels is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Due to the popularity of The Catcher in the Rye some may ask wouldn't a novel written in 1951 struggle to remain relevant in today’s day and age? To do so popular novels must address timeless conflicts in their plot In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger utilizes the struggles of Holden Caulfield to relate to any reader.
One such case is Holden’s constant struggles against his sexual desires, which can relate to teens fighting their …show more content…
Growing up no one understands death until it takes a loved one, in Holden’s case his brother Allie. Much like Holden breaking “all the windows in the garage,” the first time this realization sets in, people lash out as they realize that they will never see their loved one again (Salinger 21). You also demonstrated death when mentioning James Castle, who jumped out of a window at one of Holden’s schools. Suicide is an unfortunate, but an ever present occurrence which can affect others entire lives, as you demonstrated by Holden thinking of James when his sister asks him of what he likes, relating your novel even to those affected by …show more content…
Salinger employs Holden Caulfield’s struggles as a way to connect to the reader. Due to Holden’s numerous conflicts throughout the novel, almost anyone could relate to him. Therefore, The Catcher in the Rye is deserving of the standing it has as the second most taught book in American High Schools. By connecting to readers The Catcher in the Rye invests the readers in the novel and allows them to see themselves in the main character, Holden. Consequently, English teachers apply The Catcher in the Rye as a Bildungsroman, helping their student through the difficult transition from child to adult, that takes place in the teenage
One such case is Holden’s constant struggles against his sexual desires, which can relate to teens fighting their …show more content…
Growing up no one understands death until it takes a loved one, in Holden’s case his brother Allie. Much like Holden breaking “all the windows in the garage,” the first time this realization sets in, people lash out as they realize that they will never see their loved one again (Salinger 21). You also demonstrated death when mentioning James Castle, who jumped out of a window at one of Holden’s schools. Suicide is an unfortunate, but an ever present occurrence which can affect others entire lives, as you demonstrated by Holden thinking of James when his sister asks him of what he likes, relating your novel even to those affected by …show more content…
Salinger employs Holden Caulfield’s struggles as a way to connect to the reader. Due to Holden’s numerous conflicts throughout the novel, almost anyone could relate to him. Therefore, The Catcher in the Rye is deserving of the standing it has as the second most taught book in American High Schools. By connecting to readers The Catcher in the Rye invests the readers in the novel and allows them to see themselves in the main character, Holden. Consequently, English teachers apply The Catcher in the Rye as a Bildungsroman, helping their student through the difficult transition from child to adult, that takes place in the teenage