The Catcher in the Rye...why so popular

[bethany88]

I personally loved the Catcher in the Rye I thought it was hilarious and heart breaking and everything inbetween but my question is ... Why do so many people love this book...Why is it still so popular... What is it that makes it so special...Do you think its overated for a book about a kid wondering around in the streets? Why has it had such an impact on American culture??

[neh]

DOM - COME HERE AND RANT! Poisonpen has much to say on this novel, bethany, don't worry! *wink wink*

[bookaddict]

I've never read this book, and i'm a lit student. Interesting...

[tinaL0VE]

it's so popular because many kids can relate to it & the crictics love it/schools use it because despite the profanity and "bad stuff" in it, it is a perfect type of story to analyze.

[Dominique]

I strongly disliked this book.
People like this book because they can relate to the whole people are phoney and suck sentiment. I found Holden one of the most annoying characters I've ever read. I think he's underdeveloped as a character.

The 1950's slang was pretty annoying to read. The writing seemed very repetitive and I couldn't get interested in the storyline.

My negative reaction could be due to hearing how great it was before I read it, so in that respect I feel it's overrated.

However all that is merely my opinion, I know many other people thoroughly enjoyed this book and I respect that

Everyone's entitled to his or her own opinion

Interestingly though I enjoyed the Bell Jar, which has been compared to Catcher in the Rye. I think that is because the Bell Jar is more complex and the character experiences her mental illness within the storyline rather than outside it.

Maybe I just can't relate to male angst very well.

Also Holden's treatment of girls in the novel really irritated me.

I've only ever found two other people who don't like this book: my high school drama teacher and Kristie.

[Bina]

I really should read it sometime. Skimmed through it a couple of years ago but I can´t remember having a strong reaction to it. Didn´t love it , didn´t hate it.

[Kristie]

Yeah, I hated it...because Holden was an idiot crybaby

[Isa]

That's a good question.. when the novel first came out, there was a lot of controversy about the subject matter; it was banned from schools and libraries and sparked a whole new debate about censorship - so I guess that could account for its impact on American culture.

As to why it is still so hugely popular today, I can only say that the reason I love The Catcher in the Rye is the reason why other people can't stand it: Holden Caulfied. You either relate to him, as I do, or you don't. To me, Holden was one of the most honest characters I've ever come across in modern literature.

[Kristie]

I thought Esther from Bell Jar was more real than Holden

[bethany88]

I haven't Read the Bell Jar yet so i Don't know who Esther is but I agree with Jefie You either love the Catcher in the Rye or you hate it I dont think there are to many people you are in the middle!

[Kristie]

my thoughts exactly

[Dominique]

I agree about Esther seeming more real, at times I can relate to her but I can't relate to Holden. However I know a lot of people can

[Isa]

Could be that Esther strikes you as more real because there's so much of Sylvia Plath in her? I think Esther is a brilliant character, but somehow I found it easier to relate to Holden. Like Poisonpen says, the way you feel about a character is very personal and when a book is centered around a main character instead of around the action, it's going to have a huge influence on your appreciation of the story

[Dominique]

That's true, I did a creative writing subject last semester and did an essay on Sylvia Plath as a poet of the self. Analysing Daddy and Lady Lazarus in regard to her life makes it really clear just how much of herself went into her writing. That said she took liberties with poetic license as well. Maybe Jefie's right and Esther is more real because she's more based in reality, ie: Plath's experiences.

But then I don't know if Catcher in the Rye wasn't based on Saligner's experiences, often character based novels involve the author having a strong affinity with the author. Does anyone know if that is the case with the Catcher in the Rye?

I think a big part of the reason I didn't like Catcher in the Rye was due to my own experiences and personality. I'm the kind of person who just does whatever needs to be done, I don't really procrastinate and I'm proactive in my life. Holden seemed very much the opposite of that.

I also didn't like his apathy towards nearly everyone around him, he just seemed so absorbed in his own universe and so negative about everything.

[Isa]

It think there is a bit of Salinger in Holden - he did attend a number of prep schools, didn't graduate from college... but it's hard to tell as we hardly know anything about him. Apparently, he hasn't stopped writing but he doesn't want anything to get published before he dies... The posthum publication of his works should make for a very interesting literary event.