Why did this book have
such an impact on Americans of the 20th century and today?
Let’s be real, The Catcher in the Rye is a tough book,
and it definitely not for everyone to read, much less to enjoy. Considering this,
it is important to emphasize that the reason this book has had such a big
impact on society may vary from time to time. That’s why I made a comparative
table, contrasting why it was such a big deal in 1951, and why it still is
today.
1951
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2016
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Includes foul language and sexual connotations (completely
out of line by that time).
Revealed the imperfect side of the perfect society.
Parents did not approve of it, due to the rebellion
it caused among younger ones.
It evoked shock, as the topics touched in the book
used to be considered “taboos”.
|
It is very explicit when it comes to depression /
suicidal thoughts.
It makes the reader compare living then vs. living
now, making it hard to believe how the teenage problems have stayed the same.
It evokes the feeling of loneliness.
In my personal opinion, it made me feel frustrated
and terribly sad.
|
(teenagers in 1950 vs millennials today)
Look for information on
book reviews when it was published in 1951 and cite 2 or 3 reviews;
While looking up reviews for The Catcher in the Rye, I
found a whole lot of different opinions.
On one side, you have sources such as the New York Times, that refer to the book
as a "perilous undertaking ... that has been successfully achieved":
« Mr. Salinger's rendering of teen-age speech is wonderful: the unconscious
humor, the repetitions, the slang and profanity, the emphasis, all are just
right. Holden's mercurial changes of mood, his stubborn refusal to admit his
own sensitiveness and emotions, his cheerful disregard of what is sometimes
known as reality, are typically and heart-breakingly adolescent. Certainly
you'll look a long time before you'll meet another youngster like Holden
Caulfield, as likable and, in spite of his failings, as sound. »
But at the same time, there are sources, like The New Republic, that call the book
"disappointing": « The book as a whole is disappointing, and not
merely because it is a reworking of a theme that one begins to suspect must
obsess the author. Holden Caulfield, the main character who tells his own
story, is an extraordinary portrait, but there is too much of him. In the
course of 277 pages, the reader wearies of [his] explicitness, repetition and adolescence,
exactly as one would weary of Holden himself. And this reader at least suffered
from an irritated feeling that Holden was not quite so sensitive and perceptive
as he, and his creator, thought he was. In any case he is so completely
self-centered that the other characters who wander through the book—with the
notable exception of his sister Phoebe—have nothing like his authenticity. In a
writer of Salinger's undeniable talent, one expects something more. »
Listen or read about
people who were affected by Holden and did something about it.
While researching about people affected by Holden, I
found a rather extensive list (considering they took action in an aggressive
way). Before we move to the list, I think its important we make clear that the
book itself is does not incite psychotic behavior, but some of the topics it
touches, can be relatable to people with similar mindsets as Holden’s The
following people were the ones that stood up to me:
- John Hinckley Jr. (1981): attempted to kill Ronald Reagan. When researching their home, they found a copy of The Catcher In The Rye, which happened to be his favorite book
- Mark David Chapman (1980): killed John Lennon. He had a very troubled life, filled with problems that caused him to get very depressed. He read The Catcher in the Rye, which became his favorite book, as he felt he could relate to Holden on a special level. He had the book with him the night he assassinated Lennon. He shot him 4 times, sat down and read The Catcher in the Rye while he waited for the police to come and get him. He even quoted it while sentencing. He declared he killed Lennon because he considered him a “phony”, which lived an extremely luxurious lifestyle.
- Robert John Bardo (1989): visited actress Rebecca Schaffer’s apartment, who he had been asking out for a while, with a gun (and of course, a copy of Catcher). He got in, and shot her.
How did teenagers react
to the book when it was first published?
Just like today, teenage population also existed back
then in 1951, although in a very different way. When The Catcher in the Rye
first came out, it caused a huge impact, because teenagers weren’t (that) exposed
to the language used in the book, much less, they were definitely not exposed
to someone openly talking about what a lot of them felt: depression. This
caused the balance society had to break out. Most teenagers were scared,
because this book made them reflect a lot of things they hadn’t noticed about
themselves. It made them go through an introspective journey, where sadly, most
of them realized they felt exactly like Holden.
Why was the book
banned?
Because people, mainly the wealthy part of the society,
didn’t want this version of their lives to be posted. It broke the fantasy of
the American Dream, and brought to light the dark part of being a wealthy family
living in the 50s. They worried so much about keeping up the perfect facade,
giving others the idea of being completely well in every aspect. This book
ended with all those expectations, the perfect life was now an unreachable
standard no one was in, and no one would ever get to. It was now known there
was no such thing as a perfect family, and people couldn’t be more upset about
it. And so they did everything in their power to ban this book, and somehow
keep it banned until today, 2016.
Sources;
nice pictures
ResponderEliminarI think that the best book are the one's that are the best and have a very huge impact
ResponderEliminarI really like the information, specially the fact about John Hinkley
ResponderEliminarWhat was YOUR reaction by reading the book?
ResponderEliminarI think its very interesting the impact that had the book in the world and in the people that was identified
ResponderEliminarI loved the information presented. I also find the comparative chart quite enlightening. It is true, in spite of being (supposedly) more advanced, we can find more similarities to previous generations. The same problems and the same feelings teenagers face have been true in the 1950s, during the 1980s and today.
ResponderEliminar