The Catcher in the Rye — Jerome David Salinger

The Catcher in Rye is the ultimate novel for disaffected youth but it s relevant to all ages The story is told by Holden Caulfield a seventeen year old dropout who has just been kicked out of his fourth school Throughout Holden dissects the phony aspects of society and the phonies themselves the headmaster whose affability depends on the wealth of the parents his roommate who scores with girls using sickly sweet affection Lazy in style full of slang and swear words it s a novel whose interest and appeal comes from its observations rather than its plot intrigues in conventional terms there is hardly any plot at all Salinger s style creates an effect of conversation it is as though Holden is speaking to you personally as though you too have seen through the pretences of the American Dream and are growing up unable to see the point of living in or contributing to the society around you Written with the clarity of a boy leaving childhood it deals with society love loss and expectations without ever falling into the clutch of a cliche