5.0 stars. I LOVE IT when I go into a book with low expectations and it ends up knocking me on my ass. Admittedly, this is tougher to do with "classics" but it certainly happened in this case. I remember first reading this in school (like many of us) and not thinking it was anything special. However, having first read it almost 25 years ago, I knew I had to read it again before I could feel justified in actually reviewing it. Of course, I didn’t hold out much hope that my feelings would change and was expecting a fairly painful reading experiece.

In fact, as I started reading, I was already thinking about what my amazingly insightful, completely “isn’t it cool to bash on the classics” 1 star review was going to focus on. I thought maybe I could bag on the less than spectacular prose used by Salinger (making myself feel really smart in the process). Or maybe I could take some jabs at the less than exciting narrative pacing (and throw in a few references to "watching paint dry").

In the end, I thought my most likely avenue for attacking reviewing this anthem of teen angst was that it was utterly yawn inspiringno longer relevant today because of the GLUT of teen angst that the recent generations have been exposed to ad nauseam growing up. I mean we live in a time in which teen angst is EVERYWHERE and even has its own sub-genre label now. You can find it in:

MUSIC.........
n  n
.
.
.
MOVIES........
n  n
.
.
.
AND EVEN THE SHITTY POPULAR LITERATURE*** OF OUR TIMES...
n  n
*** Literature is a serious stretch, but I must admit that these books do IN FACT fill me with ANGST!!!
.
.
.
So what happened to all of the preconceived notions I had before I starting reading this book?
n  n

Instead, I found myself completely drawn into the rich, nuanced story of Holden Caulfield. I found myself empathizing with Caulfield almost from the beginning (something I did not expect to do). His "annoying", "pseudo rebellious" and "just don't care" exterior were so obviously manufactured and so patently hiding a seriously sad and lost boy that I was transfixed on finding the real Holden Caulfield.

Despite the book being written "in Holden's own words" the reader was still able to discern that Holden's surface response to a situation was hiding a much deeper, emotional resposne. For Salinger to be able to infuse that kind of nuance into the sparse prose of Caulfield’s narrative was nothing short of brilliant in my opinion.

Caulfied is lazy. He is stubborn. He is immature. He is unfocused. He is untruthful. He is dangerously short-sighted and he is lost in his own world or unrealistic expectations. Sounds like that could certainly be a not unsubstantial portion of the male 16 year old population.

However, after reading this book, I learned a few other things about Holden that I though were fascinating and that are not as often discussed:

1.tHe is desperately lonely (he even goes so far as ask his cab drivers to join him for a drink);
2.tHe is generous with his time and his things (he writes an essay for his roommate despite being upset with him and even lets him borrow his jacket);
3.tHe is extremely sensitive and longs for an emotional (rather than just a physical) commitment (he mentions several times his need to “be in love” in order to be physical and his experience with the prostitute certainly bears this out);
4.tHe is intelligent (despite being lazy and unfocused, Holden displays great insight and intelligence regarding books he has read and displays at the museum); and
5.tDespite being unable to process it correctly, he is full of compassion and has a deep capacity for love, which he shows most notably for his sister (this was one of the most powerful parts of the story for me as it was Holden’s desire to avoid hurting Phoebe that keeps him from running away at the end of the book).

Taking all of the good and the bad together, I was left with the feeling that Holden is an adolescent on the cusp of adulthood who is achingly afraid of the loss of his childhood and the responsibility and commitment that he sees as required to make it in the “adult” world. He is compassionate, intelligent and deeply emotional and yet is unable (or unwilling) to focus that energy on those steps that he sees as leading him away from his “happy memories of childhood” and closer to the “scary world of the adult.”

I think this is superbly shown in Holden's expressed dream of wanting to being the “Catcher in the Rye.” Quick side note: I had no idea what the title to the book referred to until I just read the book. Here is a person so afraid of growing up and so averse to giving into the pain and sadness that he sees as the result of becoming an adult that he wants nothing more than to spend his life protecting others from losing the innocence of childhood. Big, crazy, “I want to save the world” dreams are a wonderful part of childhood and it is a shame that such ideas and beliefs are too often destroyed under the barrage of “you really need to grow up” rather than having such dreams transitioned and re-focused into daring the improbable within the world of the possible.

A great and moving reading experience and one that I give my HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!

I am Holden Caulfield.

Okay, not really. I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of all the animosity people feel toward him. He does deserve the hate - he's hypocritical, judgmental, whiny, and somewhat of a jerk overall. In fact, his awkwardness around the concept of homosexuality almost angered me.

But, as a seventeen-year-old male (just turned 17 last week!) I can honestly say that I connect with Holden. I usually detest characters who complain on every other page, but Holden complained on pretty much every page and I still empathized with him. He's a lonely guy with an idealistic, unrealistic perspective who doesn't know how to hold his own in a world where not everything can be watered down to black and white and right and wrong. He's caring, emotional, and intelligent, but so thoroughly disconnected from everyone that he cannot express what he wants, if he even knows what that is. He is hurt, he needs to heal, and he is one of the few fictional characters who I would give a hug to if I could.

Overall, major respect points to J.D. Salinger for writing what is commonly called the first real "young-adult" book/classic, and for creating the most banned book ever. The Catcher in the Rye should be read by anyone searching for a wonderfully misanthropic, tragically classic coming-of-age story.

*interestingly enough, Carol Gilligan, a researcher in the field of developmental psychology, states that boys have a more absolute view of right and wrong while girls are more likely to take into account situational factors. Perhaps this plays a part in me and Holden's thinking pattern...

*cross-posted from my blog, the quiet voice.

“I’m quite illiterate, but I read a lot.”

The unique voice of Holden Caulfield fluctuates between dry humor and drama, providing a compelling bildungsroman that resonates through its psychological bravado. Holden struggles to figure out who he is and where he belongs. He delves into an existential labyrinth in search of his own identity and ultimately happiness. There is no closure: moments of calmness and clarity alternate with frustration and confusion, ending with paroxysmal delusions that culminate in an emotional collapse.

“The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.”

Reread: 4.25/5

من 7 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه قراره با یک عالمه لباس هر روز 6 ساعت سر کنم! اون مقنعه ای که مجبوریم بپوشیم از همه بیشتر عذابم میده. احساس خفگی میکنم
من 8 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه هرجا میرم تو گوشم می خونن که دیگه نمی تونم با دوستای صمیمیم بازی کنم. ما یه اکیپ 4نفره ایم. مادرای اون 3 تا همون حرف مامان منو میزنن. همون حرف خانوم ناظم وقتی داره سرصف از این میگه که ما کم کم داریم به سن تکلیف می رسیم و دیگه نباید با پسرا کاری داشته باشیم. متنفرم از اینکه اون 3 تا، تا هروقت دوست دارن با هم دوست می مونن.
من 9 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه به غیر از مدرسه حتی بقالی سر کوچه هم مدام نگران اینه که چرا من یه چیزی دور کله م نپیچیدم!! تهدیدم کرده که دیگه بهم شیر و پنیر نمیفروشه!
من 10 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه معلممون سر ژاله رو محکم کوبید به دیوار! بعدم بهش گفت خنگ کودن!
من 11 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه دوست صمیمیم به فکر اینه که باید دوست پسر داشته باشه.
من 12 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه قراره پریود بشم! چون چندتا از دوستام میگن باید از همه مخفی نگه دارم! چون زشته و آبروم میره!
من 13 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه هر روز باید وسط حیاط نماز جماعت برگزار بشه، اما این علت تنفرم نیست! از این متنفرم که موقع نماز کسایی که به قول خانوم ناظم عذر شرعی دارن و نجس هستن باید گوشه حیاط جمع بشن و اسمشون توی دفتر یه مامور ثبت بشه!
من 14 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه معنی خیلی از جوک های بچه های کلاس و نمی فهمم. توی همشون چیز هست!
من 15 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه بچه های کلاس دور هم جمع میشن و از دوست پسراشون تعریف میکنن. متنفرم از اینکه دیه مرد دو برابر زنه. متنفرم از اینکه دخترای دوروبرم عاشق اینن که طلاهاشونو به رخ هم بکشن. متنفرم از اینکه توی مهمونیا همیشه زنها خدمتکارن و مردها آقاوار بالای مجلس می شینن و از سیاست و آب و هوا و پول صحبت می کنن. متنفرم از اینکه توی عروسیا و مهمونیا بچه ها آویزون مادراشونن و باباهاشون دارن توی حیاط یا پارکینگ گل می گن و گل می شنون. متنفرم از اینکه اول شام مردا رو میدن بعد شام زنها رو. متنفرم از اینکه هیچ مامانی بلد نیست اون توپهای قرمزی که توی هوا به سیمهای برق وصلن واسه چیه...
من 16 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه همه میگن باید موهای دستمو بزنم. متنفرم از اینکه بخاطر بلوز شلوار پوشیدن بهم میگن پسر! متنفرم از اینکه بخاطر موهای کوتاهم بهم میگن پسر!
من 17 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه همه فکر می کنن اگه با یه پسر باشی حتما باید رابطه تون به اونجاها بکشه!
من 18 سالمه، متنفرم از اینکه از همه چی متنفرم! که انگار همه رو مخمن! که خیلی ها رو نمی تونم تحمل کنم!
....
من از وقتی یه چیزایی حالیم شده، متنفرم از اینکه یه استثنا باشم و در موردم کتاب نوشته بشه! کتابایی که منو جنس ضعیف و شهروند درجه دو �� نیازمند توجه و دستورالعمل و راهکار نشون میده!

میتونم تا همین الان این لیستو ادامه بدم
فکر می کنم همه ما یه دونه هولدن تو وجودمون داریم

یه چیزایی در حدود 1 قرن از عمر این کتاب میگذره. برای اون زمان واقعا شاهکار بوده. سبک ادبی خاص. یکی از اولین های خودش. اما الان هنوز جوابه.
چند سال پیش که خوندمش بهش نمره کامل دادم. الان ک دوباره خوندمش هنوز از نظرم خوبه.
رو مخ و واقعی. خیلی ساده و روون آدمو می کشوووونه با خودش می بره. هولدن خیلی نق نقو و رو مخ و حراف و داغونه. ازش خوشم نمیاد. حتی میشه گفت یه جاهایی ازش بدم میاد. اما خیلی هامون همین بودیم. یا نوجوونایی رو می شناسیم که الان همینن. که به سختی روزگار می گذرونن. که شاید افسردگی دست و پاشونو بسته. نمیدونم. من همین الانم از خیلی چیزا هنوز متنفرم
اما اون حرفایی که معلم هولدن، آقای آنتولینی، آخرای کار بهش زد، تقریبا علاجی هست که هرکدوم از هولدن هایی که جون سالم به در بردن، بهش رسیدن و همونو چسبیدن

خلاصه اونا میشه این که: باید ادامه بدی و خودتو توسعه بدی، باید بخونی و خودتو عمیق کنی، تو این مسیر کم‌کم متوجه میشی که چیو میتونی درک کنی چیو نمی تونی. می فهمی که باید ذهنتو بیشتر با چه فکرایی درگیر کنی. اینطوری وقتتو سر فکرایی که مال تو نیس الکی تلف نمی کنی. اینطوری به اون تفکری می چسبی که مال توئه
اینطوری دنیای خودتو شخصی سازی می کنی

کتاب آنچنان جذابی نیست ولی من لذت بردم
✨

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)

The CCLaP 100: In which I read a hundred so-called "classics" for the first time, then write reports on whether they deserve the label
Review #10: The Catcher in the Rye, by JD Salinger (1951)

The story in a nutshell:
Not so much of a traditional plot-based story, The Catcher in the Rye is instead a look at a 48-hour block in the life of an American teen named Holden Caulfield, a skinny and obnoxious kid who comes from a generally comfortable, decent family on the east coast, but who for some reason just seemingly can't get along with anyone or fit in anywhere. In fact, as the novel opens, Holden has just gotten kicked out of yet another private prep school; it is right before holiday, in fact, with his family expecting him home in two days anyway, so he's decided to just hoof it around the New York area for the next 48 hours and spend some time thinking about his life.

As a result, not much of note actually happens to Holden over the next two days -- he visits an old teacher he doesn't like very much, invites an ex-girlfriend he doesn't like very much to go traveling with him, eventually ends up in Manhattan, then back at his parents' place, and then finally an amusement park while entertaining his little sister. The main point of the book, then, is to try to understand Holden as a character and deeply flawed human; to watch the way he looks at life, to notice the way he idolizes his older brother, out in Hollywood and making a living as a screenwriter. Holden is both restless and old-fashioned, tender and cruel, someone who is sometimes blurting out uncomfortable truths and sometimes lying right to your face. And by the time we're done, hopefully we've learned something not only about him in particular but about teens in general, and especially the sense of alienation and standoffishness that comes to so many at that age no matter when in history we're talking about.

The argument for it being a classic:
The argument for this being a classic is a clean and simple one -- it is demonstrably the very first book in history to establish the "confessional young adult" genre, one that has grown in our modern times to accommodate tens of thousands of books and millions of grateful teen fans. Before Catcher in the Rye, its fans say, there were only two types of stories considered appropriate for younger readers -- either moralistic tales that very sternly taught right from wrong, or the kind of psuedo-science babble mysteries like I was mentioning last week, when I was reviewing 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Salinger was the very first person to publish a book about a teen written from the teen's point of view himself, a very raw point of view that contains sex, filth, cursing galore, and all the other prurient stuff that comes with peeking inside a 16-year-old boy's head; it was a breakthrough of the Modernist era, fans claim, one of those seminal projects that broke the ground for all the naturalistic books and films in the '50s, '60s and '70s that came afterwards. Oh, and if this weren't enough, it just also happens to be the most censored book in the history of the United States, as well as a personal favorite of both Mark David Chapman (who killed John Lennon) and John Hinckley Jr (who shot Ronald Reagan); these facts alone almost guarantee it a spot on any list of classics.

The argument against:
The main argument against this being a classic seems to be that it's become a victim of its own success; indeed, Catcher in the Rye has been so influential over the decades, its critics say, an entire genre of "Salingeresque" work now exists (which like I said is more formally known as "confessional young adult"), many books of which are actually much better than the original that started them all. After all, let's admit it, Catcher in the Rye has its problems, ones typical of any young and inexperienced writer (which Salinger was when first penning this); just as one good example, there are only so many times you can use the word 'g-ddam' in one story before it becomes a self-parodying joke. Like many of the books being reviewed in this essay series, I don't think there's a single human out there who would deny this novel's historical importance; but that's not what we're trying to determine here with the CCLaP 100, but rather whether it's a book you personally should read before you die.

My verdict:
So imagine my shock when I found myself finishing this book and saying to myself, "My God -- JD Salinger is basically Judy Blume with more cursing." (Or to be completely fair, I guess that should be worded -- "My God, Judy Blume is basically JD Salinger with Jews and menstruation.") I guess I had been expecting a lot more, given what a supernaturally high regard this book has among such a large swath of the general population; I was expecting it to not only be a good Young Adult novel (which it admittedly is) but also something that was going to reveal some sort of transcendent truth about the world to me as a fully-grown adult.

Er...it doesn't. This is just a good Young Adult novel, and you owe it to yourself to know that going into it; that unless you're a teen yourself when you read it, there really isn't going to be anything too terribly original or groundbreaking found in this manuscript. In fact, you could argue that Salinger was quite smart to basically wall himself off from the press and general public after this book, and never publish again (he's still alive, by the way, for those who don't know, reputedly living a happy and quiet life somewhere on the Atlantic Seaboard); because ultimately this is not a great book but simply a good one, eventually made legendary because of the time period it was published, and the subsequent reclusive career that Salinger has had. Its overwhelming historical significance I think earns it a place on the classics list, plus the fact that it's not actually a bad book at all; it's just that this is a kind of book that adults have already read many times before, especially if you were a fan of such authors as Betsy Byars when you were a teen yourself.

Is it a classic? I suppose

4.5 stars. Somebody told me that a person's reaction to the Catcher in the Rye is indicative of how empathetic they are--and I have to agree. I see so many reviews berating Holden Caulfied for being a whiny spoilt brat; but if you look even slightly beyond the surface, it's clear that he’s a severely traumatised child. You’re missing the point of The Catcher in the Rye by refusing to listen to a boy that wants nothing more than to simply be heard. Holden is horribly annoying, perhaps even an idiot, but he's an idiot that needs help. I find Holden's worry over where the ducks go when the lake freezes over particularly moving.

Holden doesn't necessarily care about the ducks themselves, but he's worried and scared. He just got kicked out of school, has no friends to call, a dead brother, a horrific past of molestation, and winter is coming. He wants to know what's going to happen to him now that winter is arriving and he has nowhere to go, a little like the ducks. I still think Holden is really immature and whatnot, but I find it painfully relatable that he just wants someone to care for him, listen to him, or just tell him it's all going to be okay. Just about every complaint of his comes back to him just being personally afraid of the world--at least in my interpretation. Holden’s pervading fear of ‘falling through the cracks’ was definitely one of the themes that resonated with me most.

Salinger’s ability to sow so much depth into such sparse prose is nothing short of genius–and the debauchery of 1950s New York contrasted with Holden’s innocence is masterfully done indeed. There were so many wonderful scenes that I’ll never forget; Phoebe on the carousel, the whole prostitution fiasco, the ducks, Holden’s proposal to Sally, and of course, the description of the Catcher itself. I can't understand why people deem this beautiful little book to be a red flag; if I had to choose one book, just one, that expressed all my thoughts, feelings and anxieties about the world, I'd choose this one.

راجع به کتاب، خیلی گفته شده و به نظرم حرفش این قدر رو هست که اصلاً نیازی به توضیح دادن نداره، خصوصاً برای کسایی که خودشون یا اطرافیانشون تجربیاتی مشابه هولدن داشته باشن.

نکته ی اولی که به نظرم میرسه، اینه که شخصیت هولدن، اصلا و ابدا دوست داشتنی نیست و قرار نیست دوست داشتنی باشه. چرا، از لحاظ صادق بودنش دوست داشتنیه. مثل خیلی از اطرافیاش، ادای خوب بودن یا بد بودن در نمیاره. میخواد به چیزی برسه، هر چند خودش هم نمی دونه چی.
ولی غیر از این، شخصیت هولدن کسیه که اگه یه روز توی خیابون ببینمش، با مشت میزنم توی صورتش. و اگه کسی هم به خاطر شبیه هولدن بودن با مشت بزنه توی صورت من، بهش کاملاً حق میدم.
فکر کنم مشابه این شخصیت رو بشه توی رمان "پدران و پسران" تورگنیف پیدا کرد.

نکته ی دوم هم توضیح شخصیت هولدنه. هولدن از دنیایی که میشناسه بیزاره. از معلما، از رفقاش، از مدرسه ش، از والدینش، از همه چیز بیزاره. دایره ی نفرتش به قدری بزرگ و بزرگ تر میشه که وقتی خواهرش ازش میپرسه توی این دنیا چیزی هست که ازش بیزار نباشی؟ هولدن شدیداً توی فکر میره و نهایتاً جوابی که میده، صرفاً و صرفاً یک ایده آله. یه رؤیاست.
من فکر میکنم که اگه این رؤیا هم یه روز محقق بشه، باز هولدن ازش بیزار خواهد بود. همون طور که تا وقتی که خواهر کوچکش رو ندیده بود، با خودش فکر میکرد که از بین تمام دنیا، فقط خواهرش رو دوست داره، ولی همین که شبانه دیدش و باهاش صحبت کرد، احساس کرد داره ازش بیزار میشه.
فکر میکنم مشکل هولدن، بیشتر از اون که با جهان اطرافش باشه، در درون خودشه. در نحوه ی نگاهش به جهان اطرافشه. اما این مشکل درونی چیه؟ و راه درمانش چیه؟ نه کتاب بهش اشاره ای میکنه و نه من اطلاعی دارم.

a lot of people say this book sucks because holden is annoying and complains all the time, but that's actually why it's good.

nothing could be more relatable.

and also it's the story of a heartbreakingly empathetic CHILD coping with coming of age and the death of his brother while being betrayed by every authority figure and person he trusts, and his main takeaway is still loving his sister and appreciating the world around him and missing everyone he's met.

what book did these people read???

part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago

----------------
reread updates

reading this on the train so no one talks to me

The metaphors in this book were excellent and the underlying meaning is classic literature but I found this book very depressing. Holden's constant complaining and cursing made this hard for me to read for long periods of time.

One of the most overrated, hyper drivel YA classics ever

See, it was published in 1951 by a young (one trick pony?) author
who wrote his higher rated (better?, see ratings) works after The Catcher. And who was, as so many authors of the time, first primarily specialized in short stories and, gosh, The Catcher exactly is a short story collection with

A protagonist staggering from one boring episode to the next
Because there is no real freaking action, antagonists except everything the protagonist is interacting with, and no real sense except a teenager rebelling against everything. This all would be fine and entertaining, if there

Would be any wit, more complex characters, and less introspective fringe philosophy of a first person narrator
Who has some controversial thoughts and feelings about life and sexuality. It did a good job at fighting conservative intolerance to get some more open, progressive thinking out into the world, but it just hasn´t the quality and depth needed to be a universal milestone of literature. For young readers of the 20th century, it might have been a mind opening, controversial read that understood them, but

It didn´t age well
Except for the important message of not trying to proselytize kids and teens for outdated ideologies and faith stigmatizing anything kinky, what´s left? Well, depressingly long periods of boredom, because the novel just doesn´t deliver and Salinger is so egocentric to absolutely not care about the millennia old rules of good storytelling and creative writing. One has to suffer with the protagonist who exactly delivers nothing except of some outrageous actions. Other authors like Roald Dahl, Mark Twain, etc. wrote funny and deep novels with real plots that subtly and ironically integrated different topics, issues, and controversies in their work and were loved by audiences of all ages because they were well written. Or the even bigger load of modern YA authors who write dystopian novels in the Orwellian and Huxleyian tradition. But not funny, boring, first person drivel about the stereotypical teenage rebellion against a restrictive, bigoted system? Not so much,

Because it bores the heck out of the readers
I forced myself to finish this overhyped story idea collection and couldn´t even detect some sophisticated message behind the seemingly superficial plot. And what always annoys me the most is that each country around the world has similar patriotic tendencies to pick average and bad books and declare them the gold standard because the author is a proud author citizen. As good as the intentions were and as important the works might have been in creating a more open and tolerant society, today they are the main reason why many young people, tortured with the modified, individualized trash of each big culture and country, hate reading after school. Because they think that reading is associated with boredom and having to find deeper meanings where there are none.

Subjectivity overkill
And it seems that, because of the weaknesses, The Catcher has become a completely subjective, absolutely not universally acclaimed great, experience, depending on the question of if one likes or dislikes the protagonist. Good literature shouldn´t depend on that single factor.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...

کافیه تنها چند صفحه از این کتاب رو بخونید تا شیفته ی نحوه روایت و فلسفه بافی این نوجوان سرتق بشید و اون وقته که رها کردن کتاب براتون کار سختی خواهد بود.راوی داستان "هولدن کالفیلد" نوجوانی 17 ساله است که در آستانه ی ورود به دنیای بزرگسالان قرار داره و در این کتاب داستان چند روزی رو برای ما روایت می کنه که به دلیل مردود شدن در درسهایش از مدرسه برای چندمین بار اخراج شده و تصمیم گرفته چند روزی را تا رسیدن نامه اخراجش به دست خانواده در نیویورک به تنهایی سر کنه.او با تمام دنیا سر ناسازگاری داره و تقریبا همه چیز تنفرش رو بر می انگیزه و افسرده اش می کنه،اما اگر از دریچه نگاه "هولدن" و با تیزبینی اون به دنیای اطراف و آدمهاش نگاهی بندازی باهاش همذات پنداری خواهی کرد

اسم این کتاب همیشه برام جای سوال بود تا اینکه در قسمتی از داستان "هولدن" به خواهر 10 ساله اش "فیبی" که خیلی دوستش داره و مانند پلی او رو به دنیای کودکی متصل می کنه از آرزوهاش میگه که دوست داره "ناتور دشت" باشه و در دشتی بزرگ که هزاران هزار بچه ی کوچیک در اون در حال بازی هستن بر لبه ی یک پرتگاه بایسته تا از افتادن بچه ها در پرتگاه جلوگیری کنه. این آرزو که به صورت نمادین بیان شده برگرفته از بیزاری "هولدن" از دنیای سیاه و پر از ریا و تزویر بزرگسالان است و صادقانه دلش می خواهد کودکان معصوم را از افتادن در این دره مخوف حفاظت کند

هولدن که عاشق ادبیات هست و این درس تنها مبحث مورد علاقه اش در مدرسه است در قسمتی از داستان تعبیر زیبایی به کار می بره و میگه: "چیزی که راجع به کتاب خیلی حال می ده اینه که وقتی آدم کتابه رو می خونه و تموم می کنه دوس داشته باشه نویسنده ش دوست صمیمی اش باشه و بتونه هر وقت دوس داره یه زنگی بهش بزنه" هر چند "سلینجر" رو با این کتاب شناختم و به نظرم نویسنده فوق العاده ایه اما بیشتر دوست دارم گاهی یه زنگی به شخصیت تخس اما دوست داشتنی که خلق کرده یعنی "هولدن" میزدم

(I learned to swear after reading the book, please excuse my words).

So there comes the day when you feel everything around you is a big shit, when you feel fucking fed up and everyone sounds so flashy and phony, and all you want to do is to go away to somewhere so far away, where you build a small cottage for yourself and live simply till the end of your life. That's when you should read The Catcher in the Rye. This teenage chap named Holden will sit with you for a while, smoke a cigarette and drink a shot, and talk about how the society is so much into fame and money, and how everyone just forget the values of life, and share with you the desire to run away.

And then you hear his little stories about his younger brother Allie's baseball glove, and his smart and thoughtful sister Phoebe, and his dream to be a catcher in the rye to save children from falling down the cliff. And then you know that you're not alone, that life still has beautiful things to listen to, that you still have the reasons to live, and fight for what you believe.

Nếu có một ngày nào đó bạn chán đời bỏ mẹ, và bạn thấy mọi người xung quanh bạn giả tạo và bộ tịch bỏ mẹ, từ lão đồng nghiệp, đến mấy đứa nhân viên bán hàng, đến cái thằng cha dẫn chương trình trên ti vi. Và tất cả những gì bạn muốn làm là bỏ đi đâu đó thật xa, trong rừng sâu hay trên núi cao, xây một cái chòi và sống một mình trên đó suốt đời. Thì đó là lúc bạn nên đọc Bắt trẻ đồng xanh. Cái gã thanh niên mười bảy tuổi tên Holden này sẽ ngồi với bạn, hút với bạn một điếu thuốc và uống với bạn một ly. Rồi chửi cái xã hội hiện tại đã quá coi trọng đồng tiền và danh tiếng ra sao. Rồi kể cho bạn nghe những câu chuyện nhỏ nhặt về chiếc găng tay bóng chày của em Allie, hay về cô bé Phoebe thông minh và nhạy cảm em út của gã. Rồi gã kể về những chuyện mà hắn thích nhất đời, những chuyện nhảm nhí chẳng ra đâu vào đâu, mà đột nhiên làm bạn thấy cảm động ghê gớm. Vì bạn nhận ra chính mình trong hắn, trong nỗi chán chường rầu rĩ về cuộc đời, về một thời hoang mang chẳng biết mình sẽ đi đâu làm gì, và tâm trạng lạc loài cô độc giữa biển người ồn ã chẳng ai hiểu mình.

Và rồi bạn biết mình không cô đơn, bạn biết mình không chỉ có một mình với những suy nghĩ điên khùng và lạ lùng. Và bạn biết rằng đằng sau cái vẻ ngoài chửi tục thành thần, nốc rượu rít thuốc như điên và cách cư xử bốc đồng của hắn, là một trái tim nhạy cảm và một cái đầu thông minh, một kẻ đã nhận ra chân giá trị của cuộc sống. Và từ cuộc trò chuyện với Holden, bạn lại thấy mình muốn sống, sống khiêm nhường vì một sự nghiệp, vì điều bạn tin tưởng, vì những gì tốt đẹp vẫn tồn tại trên thế gian này.