Published By: Ahvana Paul

Why The Catcher In The Rye Is A Must-Read

If you are looking for something to read, which is light and endearing, one of the best all-time classics is JD Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye.  Written from the first-person point of view, it explores a few days from Holden Caufield’s life, as he experienced it. Here are a few reasons why it is one of the best books of all time and should be on your list!

It gives a unique perspective about the world

The book is written from the perspective of Holden Caufield himself. He is a teenage rebel. His constant use of the word “phony” to describe different things in the world, his slightly cynical nature, and his distaste for growing up, are the underlying sentiments with which this book has been written. This book deals with alienation, angst, and rebellion against the futility of growing up and becoming an adult. It offers a comment on the superficial and fake nature of society. Holden seeks to rebel against that and protect innocence. The book is therefore extremely symbolic and talks about the need for creativity and excitement, which the standardized organized day of an adult loses out on

Radical Departure from earlier English novel-writing tradition

One of the most radical elements of this book is that it explicitly marks a departure from the classic English novel-writing tradition. The major English novelists, although indispensable to one’s reading list all have a particular style of writing. They go into immense loquacious detail and description involving a lot of analogies. The point is drawn upon after a certain amount of meandering. At the beginning of Catcher in the Rye, there is a statement that sets this book apart, saying that this is not something like David Copperfield. This novel is written in a free-flow direct language and does not go into descriptions. It is written in the form of a lucid, simple, to-the-point monologue. This is a very important departure that Salinger makes from the previous tradition of writing. This book is therefore ahead of its time!

Light Read, Funny and Heartwarming

Owing to the style of the book, this book is an extremely light, but very engrossing read. It captures the audience’s attention immediately, has a certain cynical humor to it as well as has certain heartwarming elements to it. The best thing about this book is that it is timeless. It will always capture the new generation’s imagination, and the teenage rebel that is Holden is extremely relatable!