Banned Novels Novels that are being taught in schools all over the United States are being challenged by numerous people for inappropriate content. These people believe novels that do not fit their idea of what is considered appropriate, should be banned. J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye is a prime example of this occurring. The novel is set around sixteen year old, Holden Caulfield during the 1950s. Holden struggles with mental illness and continuously flunks out of the schools he attends; however, he eventually decides to run away from his problems. While writing this novel, Salinger relates it to himself by using his own life experiences. Like Holden, Salinger was born in New York to upper-class parents, both have a fascination with …show more content…
Some of the main reasons that cause a book to become banned include racial issues, encouragement of damaging lifestyles, sexual content, and violence. After reading the novel, the person who thinks that it should be banned has to file a complaint with a library, indicating the specific parts they consider to be offensive. Once the accusation is filed, a committee or board reviews the novel and establishes if the claim is substantial or unfounded. Finally, depending on the verdict, the book is either banned or left on the shelves. Infrequently, if one party disagrees with the decision, the fight can be brought to an official courtroom where a judge decides the book’s final fate. Even so, many novels “have been banned or censored in one or more of these categories due to a misjudgment or misunderstanding about the book's contents and message” (Banned Books). An abundance of novels have been mislabeled in this way. Consequently, readers usually determine their own assessment of the novel. Sexual content, violence, and blasphemous dialogue are some of the reasons that The Catcher in the Rye is being challenged. Yet, it remains an important novel to people everywhere. One of the ways the novel stands out, is when Holden finally talks with Phoebe at the zoo’s carousel. While watching Phoebe, he realizes that he has been running away from his problems, coming to the conclusion that he needs help. Afterwards, Holden states, “I felt so damn happy all of a sudden, the way Phoebe kept going around and around. I was damn near bawling, I felt so damn happy” (Salinger 233). This proves that reading one ‘inappropriate’ novel should not cause a person to drastically change the way they act; in fact, reading a novel such as The Catcher in the Rye could even be
Did you ever think that books that have sex, obscene language, and immoral subjects can make a good book? The Catcher in the Rye has been on the banned reading list for exactly those reasons. The book was mainly put on disapproval from between 1966 and 1975 in almost every school district in the United States. The book was said to be so bad that in 1960 a teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was fired for assigning the book to an eleventh-grade English class. Despite some opposition to the novel, however, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye should be on a reading list for the freshman students because it gives a crystal clear image on how the world is in violence, sex, and obscenity and the book also teaches the motifs of lying and deception.
The decision to ban the novel Huckleberry Finn from classrooms and libraries has been an ongoing controversy. The presence of the 'n word' and the treatment towards Jim, and other blacks in general, has made many readers uncomfortable. Despite this fact, Huckleberry Finn has been and remains a classic read. I do not believe the novel should be banned or sanitized because it is a part of American history whether it is good or bad, also we have no right to change someone's writing simply because we do not like how it is written, Mark Twain's writing should not be penalized because of the ideals of today.
The novel The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger depicts a journey of a young man named Holden Caulfield where he encounters many of life’s challenges. As Holden has been bouncing between schools all his life, he just recently got kicked out of his current one: Pencey Prep. He has trouble focusing in school and has experienced many traumatic events in his life, like the death of his little brother Allie. Many believe the novel should be banned, but there is an underlying message Holden is trying to communicate. Throughout Holden's journey many feel that there were ban-worthy moments, but the traits he demonstrates are most powerful: compassion, maturity/coming of age and intelligence.
Catcher In The Rye was written in 1951 and for this time period, the book’s content was extremely ahead of its time. Its frequent foul language and sex-driven themes led it to be banned by several school systems across the country since its release. Some people may question why Salinger has Holden Caulfield cursing so much. Some may see Caulfield’s persistent offensive language as unnecessary and unbecoming for a young person of Holden’s age. As an example, on page 129, Caulfield compares his and Sally’s skating skills to the rest of the people at the ice-skating rink in Radio City.
American Literature is widely known for possessing themes of disillusionment. Faulkner, Harper Lee, Fitzgerald, and Hemingway dominate this category of literature. However, the most influential piece of American Literature is arguably J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. What makes this piece of art stand so far out from any other work of literature is the attributes that make this novel so relatable. The source of this raw, real emotion that completely captivates the reader is Salinger himself. The Catcher in the Rye ‘s main character Holden Caulfield is undeniably Salinger. This work of fiction nearly resembles an autobiography. J.D. Salinger uses his novel to express his disillusionment through motifs, pathos, and symbols.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger is a coming-of-age novel set in New York during the 1940’s. Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of the story, is a detached seventeen-year old boy harboring feelings of isolation and disillusionment. He emphasizes a general dislike for society, referring to people as “phonies.” His lack of will to socialize prompts him to find nearly everything depressing. He’s alone most of the time and it’s apparent that he is very reclusive. This often leads him to pondering about his own death and other personal issues that plague him without immediate resolution. Holden possesses a strong deficit of affection – platonic and sexual – that hinders and cripples his views toward people, his attitude, and his ability to progressively solve his problems without inflicting pain on himself. The absence of significant figures in his life revert him to a childlike dependency and initiate his morbid fascination with sexuality. In this novel, Salinger uses Sunny, Sally Hayes, and Carl Luce to incorporate the hardships of discovering sexual identity and how these events affect adolescents as they try to understand their own sexuality.
The Theme of Hypocrisy in The Catcher In The Rye & nbsp; & nbsp; In the novel The Catcher In The Rye, the protagonist Holden Caulfield views his surroundings with hypocrisy and contempt in an attempt to avoid the corruption of adulthood. Holden places himself above the crowd because he believes everyone acts phony. In the process, Caulfield reveals his true problem: his refusal to change. & nbsp; Holden fears adulthood because it brings responsibilities and trouble. He believes all adults possess an aurora of "phoniness."
...thout forcing them upon you. Also, Salinger uses his novel to force society to address social issues previously ignored in that era including mental health disorders and sexual orientation. Especially after World War II, many people were suffering from disorders like PTSD, but never seeked treatment due to the lack of acceptance of mental weakness at the time. Though Holden, Salinger shows that after traumatizing events, people need others to help them cope and to show the public how hard it was to receive the help people needed. He aimed to change society with this novel and succeed, it raised many questions and is believed to help lead to a more accepting community. If more authors were brave enough and talented enough to write about controversial topics like Salinger, society would be a more accepting and diverse place where everyone could live together happily.
Holden would often mention about how lonely and depressed he was, “It was against my principles and all, but I was feeling so depressed I didn’t even think. That’s the whole trouble. When you’re feeling very depressed, you can’t even think.” (Salinger 91). This quote shows that because of Holden’s isolation, he becomes so depressed his morals bend and becomes more corrupted. Holden often repeats himself when he wants to emphasize something important. J.D Salinger’s tone sounds like a typical teenager using many slang and vulgar words such as, “chrissake” and “goddam.” Today, the lexicon Salinger used seems normal since the literary period was pre-modernism. However, when it was first published in the 1950’s it was offensive, caused a lot of controversy, and was even banned in several countries. The Catcher in the Rye was first banned after its publication for nontraditional or unpopular viewpoints, which many other classic writers faced such as William Shakespeare and Mark Twain. The book is known for being obscene and profane that teachers have been fired for allowing their students to read it. However, with Salinger’s coming-of-age-feel, it is still a popular book and is read in schools
Despite being a worldwide best seller, J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye has been on the banned books list since 1961 ( (Baldassarro). The Catcher in the Rye tells the short journey, of anti-hero Holden Caulfield, between the end of the fall semester and Christmas break (Salinger). The story begins when Holden is expelled from his school, Pency Prep, for failing a majority of his classes (Salinger). Holden knows he must return home, so he attempts to prolong the scolding he will receive from his parents, for being expelled, by venturing around Manhattan until it becomes necessary to return to his home (Salinger). Holden tells his story in the most vulgar way possible. Holden accounts being offered a prostitute by an elevator operator when he asks, “Innarested a little tail t’night?” (Salinger 91). Offensive language is also used throughout the book, for example, “You’re a dirty stupid sonuvabitch of a moron” (Salinger 44). Underage drinking is also one of Holden’s favorite passtimes as evident in the quote, “I ordered a scotch and soda, and told him not to mix it- I said it fast as hell, because if you hem and haw, they think you’re under twenty-one and won’t sell you any intoxicating liquor” (Salinger 69). These three quotes express the precise justifications for banning books: sexually explicit content, offensive language, and underage drug use (Association). Although, many consider The Catcher in the Rye to be morally wrong, it should not ...
In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye J. D. Salinger portrays a rebellious teenager who has run away from everything. Throughout the book, he gets himself into trouble several times all while his parents think he is still in the school that he flunked out of. Set aside from running away, Holden makes many mistakes and does things that would never be expected from a 16 year old boy. Many people say that this book encourages teens to rebel against society’s expectations by his actions of drinking, smoking, and breaking the rules, but it is through these actions Holden accomplishes nothing.
Author JD Salinger was drafted into the army during World War II for several years, and, upon his return, he wrote his novel The Catcher in the Rye, a novel about a teenage boy named Holden who wanders around New York following his expulsion from Pencey. It is then interesting that his topic of choice was children, who seem to be an unlikely topic because of their innocence. Salinger perhaps chose this topic because the ideas of innocence and loss of innocence are so intertwined with his experiences at war. In his novel, JD Salinger argues that innocence and corruption are not separated by a fine line and that they coexist in individuals as Holden learns that children need to be allowed to fall from
Since its publication in 1951, The Catcher In the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger has served as a conflagration for debate and extreme controversy. Although the novel has been the target of scornful criticism, it has also been the topic of wide discussion. The novel portrays the life of sixteen year old, Holden Caufield. Currently in psychiatric care, Holden recalls what happened to him last Christmas. At the beginning of his story, Holden is a student at Pencey Prep School. Having been expelled for failing four out of his five classes, Holden leaves school and spends 72-hours in New York City before returning home. There, Holden encounters new ideas, people, and experiences. Holden's psychological battle within himself serves as the tool that uncovers the coming-of-age novel's underlying themes of teen angst, depression, and the disingenuous nature of society. The novel tackles issues of blatant profanity, teenage sex, and other erratic behavior. Such issues have supplemented the controversial nature of the book and in turn, have sparked the question of whether or not this book should be banned. The novel, The Catcher In the Rye, should not be banned from inclusion in the literature courses taught at the high school level.
“Catcher in the Rye”, written by J.D Salinger, is a coming-of-age novel. Narrated by the main character, Holden Caulfield, he recounts the days following his expulsion from his school. This novel feels like the unedited thoughts and feelings of a teenage boy, as Holden narrates as if he is talking directly to readers like me.
J. D. Salinger’s novel, Catcher in the Rye explores the ambiguity of the adult world Holden must eventually learn to accept. Throughout the novel, Holden resists the society grownups represent, coloring his childlike dreams with innocence and naivety. He only wants to protect those he loves, but he cannot do it the way he desires. As he watches Phoebe on the carousel, he begins to understand certain aspects of truth. He writes: