The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up: The Catcher and the Rye

The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up: The Catcher and the Rye

What The Catcher in the Rye understands is that sometimes, just wanting to save someone is enough to make us human.

When The Catcher in the Rye was first published in 1951, it scandalized and captivated in equal measure. Parents fretted, censors objected, and teenagers everywhere passed it between desks like contraband. What J.D. Salinger had captured, with uncanny precision, wasn’t just the restlessness of youth—it was the feeling of being adrift in a world too phony, too fast, and far too grown up. Holden Caulfield, the novel’s narrator and reluctant protagonist, has become an almost mythic figure in American literature. Seventeen years old and freshly expelled from yet another prep school, he takes readers on a three-day odyssey through New…

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Don't Miss

Take control of your search

Personalize your search results with the sources you trust.