I think your opinion of this book is greatly determined by the age at which you read it. If you are an angsty, hate-the-world teenager, then you will probably love this book. If you do not happen to currently fall into that age bracket or have similar feelings of that age bracket, then I'm not sure if you will enjoy the book as much. I'll start off this review by saying that I do not fall into the grumpy, whiny, teen category. I was pretty disappointment with the mindset and outlook of the main character throughout the plot of the book. Let me explain...
The main character, Holden Caulfield, is a teenager who attends a famous school named Pencey Prep in Pennsylvania. You quickly come to find that Holden is being kicked out of Pencey for failing the majority of his classes and not applying himself. This is not the first school he has been kicked out of. His attitude and humor are dark, twisted, and deprecating. To be completely honest, he sounds like a whiny brat to me. Throughout his incessant whining, you learn some history about Holden's life, and it gives you some insight on why he behaves the way he does.
For one, he is not the smoothest with the ladies. He talks about sex and wanting to lose his virginity throughout the book; however, he realizes that he wants more than just casual sex, and he never follows through with any attempts he initiates. He also has an affinity for saying the word "phony" as an adjective to describe anything or anyone he encounters. Anytime someone disagrees with him or is being (in his mind) inauthentic, he sees them as a phony person. In reality, he is just too close-minded to realize that he may be wrong about an idea or opinion he has. A great example of that would be schooling. He has been kicked out of a few schools at this point. He is about it be kicked out of another, yet anyone who tries to talk to him about schooling is usually called a phony at some point in the conversation. On a more serious note, you find out that Holden's younger brother, Allie, passed away from leukemia about three years before the book takes place. With all of the drama and sullenness, you can't help but feel compassionate for Holden when you find out about his brother. It doesn't forgive all of his bad behavior, but it certainly helps to explain it.
In short, The Cather in the Rye covers a lot of themes linked to the fear of growing up. Holden so desperately wants to stay young, innocent, and care-free, but realizes that he can't. He isn't ready to fully come to terms with the responsibility of adulthood just yet, but he knows that the time is coming. He is stuck between childhood and adulthood. At the end of the book, Holden is reconnected with his little sister Phoebe. Time with Phoebe brings back some of the sweetness in his life, and you see his attitude shift for the better. This is the only time we truly see a happy, content Holden.
I wasn't a huge fan of the book. To be honest, I'm not always impressed with the "classics" when it comes to books. I appreciate the fact that the author could be so candid and honest in Holden's perspective, but it was just a little too honest for me. I can't imagine living my life being so incredibly critical of everyone and everything. How miserable would that be! Needless to say, I'm grateful to check this one off of my to-read list, and it is on to the next one!
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