Holden Caulfield Banned

Often times, when a ban is put in place on an object – such as a book – it sparks an interest or curiosity, rather than shutting that object down. Such is the case for The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. Multiple schools across the country have banned it due to its, at the time of publication, controversial point of view. However, over time, the story of Holden Caulfield and his struggle to find happiness in a world full of phones has become one of the most important works of literature to date. So, despite having mentions of pre-marital sex, underage drinking, and profanity, The Catcher in the Rye remains a popular work of literature, because of Holden’s unique voice, his relatable struggles, and the lessons he teaches. With almost

Specifically, he can relate to the “approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13-18 (21.4%) [that] experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life” (NAMI, “Mental Health…”). Originally, Holden begins showing signs of an internal struggle early on in the novel, mentioning again and again that he is feeling depressed and lonely. In fact, it is not very long after he decides to leave Pencey, that he admits, “What I really felt like though, was committing suicide” (Salinger 116-17). He continues on a downward spiral mentally; finding less and less happiness in his life, until he almost reaches the point of no return (until he reaches what some would say is the point of no return. Fortunately, he is saved by the thoughts of his mother and his kid sister Phoebe. That moment, although it seems small, is very important. From that time on, Holden has a small hope to hold onto. He even begins to think about the future in a more hopeful light, such as when he tells Phoebe about what he wants to do: “I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff… I’d just be the catcher in the rye and all” (Salinger 191). Here, Holden’s goal is to make sure that nobody faces the same hardships he has, and that idealistic goal gives him something to live for. Then finally, at the zoo, with the rain

It has been off and on as one of the top 10 most frequently challenged books since 1990 (Wikipedia, “The Catcher…”). Based upon lists of why the book was banned, “the challenges generally begin with Holden’s frequent use of vulgar language, with other reasons including sexual references, blasphemy, undermining of family values and moral codes, encouragement of rebellion, and promotion of drinking, smoking, lying, and promiscuity” (Wikipedia, “The Catcher…”). Unfortunately, the book was also found in the hands of the shooters of John Lennon, Rebecca Schaeffer, and Ronald Reagan. Yet, undeterred by the critics, The Catcher in the Rye continues to rise to the top of many reading lists. In fact, “In 1981, it was both the most censored book and the second most taught book in public schools in the United States” (Wikipedia, “The Catcher…”). The book was also used in the 2001 and 2008 AP tests. So, overall, the book really has been loved enough to stick around over time, even in the face of many