Catcher in the Rye
Since its original publication in 1945, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye has been subjected to much controversy concerning its vulgar and profane content. According to Herbert N. Foerstel’s Banned in the U.S.A., Salinger’s book ranks third on the list of books most frequently banned by schools and public libraries. To these governing bodies, be they misguided school boards, parent-teacher organizations, or librarians, the pervasive rawness in The Catcher in the Rye lies not only in its language, but its violence, sexuality, preponderance of underage alcohol and tobacco abuse, and the generally rebellious main character, Holden Caulfield, a sixteen-year old male pariah. Such governing groups fear that the precious youth of their communities will adopt the offensive behaviors of Salinger’s characters, seek the unseemly environments that he depicts, and consequently experience complete nervous breakdowns. This pandemic belief in censorship was further exacerbated in 1980 when John Lennon was assassinated by a mentally unstable young man who carried a copy of Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. However, those who believe in the censorship of this book do not understand that Salinger uses excessive b
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1587
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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