The time period it was written played a important role in the development of the novels history to come. In the 1950's the world was just recovering from the devastation of World War II, which ended five years previously. The United States emerged as a Super Power, the wealthiest nation and the American way of life was envied throughout the Western world. This was a time when people were friendlier, more caring, and honest. People were no

In Summerville, South Carolina a different kind of detesment occurred. A member of the school board borrowed three copies. When asked to give them back he told them that he wanted everyone to know how he felt. He said " It is a filthy, filthy book it has 269 odd pages or so and if you took out all the profanities, the sarcasm, the mockery of old people and the mockery of women and decent people, you would get to read about 10 minutes worth" (qtd in Goldberg). In 1993 he was defeated and the book was not banned (Goldberg).

"If you were a loser in High school , or your peers were a bunch of prep school phonies and you were mad at the whole world "crumby" world chances are that somehow you got your hands on a copy of the "Catcher in the Rye" (qtd in Guinn). Holden Caulfield spends his Christmas vacation by wondering around New York. He can't find any sort of fulfillment by his teenager efforts. He is Lonely, bewildered, confused and stubborn with a certain kind of insight and wisdom (Burger). He is a perfect portrayal of a teenager. Those who don't pass him by in their high school reading are drawn to him. Holden has the same insecurities and is caught up in himself (Guinn). Many see themselves as a Holden Caulfied and many hate the idea of that stereotype. When Shaw de Loache a honor graduate from Centennial High School in Roswell was interviewed he agreed that truly everyone can somehow identify with the character (Weaver). This reason defends why it has gained wide popularity especially among young readers. It could also be that it has become somewhat of a forbidden fruit. Music, books , tv that are censored becomes more appealing to a rebellious teenager. Now give the average teenager someone they can identify with and it makes it impossible to take away from them. It became a guide for teenagers who wanted detach and be themselves and remaining cool ( Holden at 50). Jeff Guinn a writer for Knight Ridder Newspapers said " He is more than a friends he's us"(qtd in Guinn).

Profanity is a large part of the Novel " The Catcher in the Rye" and has been the cause of the majority of controversy. In the novel there is 785 words of profanity, and on page 32 alone there are 3 Goddamns (Whitfield). Holden also used a lot of slang typical of teenagers (Weaver). He was a 16 year old character and his speech shows it. Even his sister Phoebe tells him to quit swearing so much. (Sallinger 172) Pearl McHaney, a professor of education and 20th century literature at Georgia Stare University says " ..it's language kids for years have been told don't say that, don't use those words' and here it is published. That's a great deal of power in seeing it that way. I mean, I think kids are talking like that all the time in their heads" (Weaver). An article "The Language of the Catcher in the Rye" talks of some reasons for the profanity. Donald Costello the author of the article claims the profanity is necessary to paint the picture of a troubled Caulfield. Without the swearing the Holden Caulfield would have been lost. Parents of the teenagers reading the novel have had a different opinion of the profanity and detest the novel for including the language so excessively (Weaver) .

Holden Caulfied carries his way through all generations. Those who read the novel as a teenager remember that first time they were handed the book. They identified with the character and he spoke to them. David Rachels, an assistant professor of English and fine arts at the Virginia Military institute remembers when he was first handed the novel. He received the novel from his father who said he was old enough to read the book. Professor Rachels said it "Serves as a literary rite of passage for hundreds of thousands of young readers".(qtd in Rachels).

To find a novel with as much influence as "The Catcher in the Rye" you have to have the unique characteristics that Holden Caulfied has. He started in the 1950's bringing young people into another realm of ado

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Approximate Word count = 3272
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)