In 1985 J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye was banned in a Florida high school for merely being unacceptable.
The timeless American classic that represent the teenager struggle perfectly has been deemed “unacceptable” since its release in 1951. Continually it has endure scrutiny for its dark depiction of adolescent.
Whether the reason for banning The Catcher in the Rye in school was for its unapologetic portrayal of underage drinking or a mental breakdown it remained just out of reach of the hands of those who could identify with it the most. How can protection in this form be any beneficial if statistically the students understand part of what Holden Caulfield the trouble protagonist is going through?
Over 1.2 million students drop out of High School every year, that’s 7,000 a year. The tipping point of Caulfield 's break down that sent him into a downwards spiral or binge drinking and smoking. Consequently something 25% of students struggle with.
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If they don’t hear or read about it, it will never affect them. Controlling their access to certain novels and movies can only stop them for so long, eventually it will be naturally introduced into their life, parties, word of mouth and media that hasn’t been censored for their ‘safety’. At best we can only delay their exposure to these things. But it will not stop them for getting access. At times these even promotes them to seek out the things they have been banned from.
The Catcher in the Rye is an important classic exploring struggles we all face in youth from growing up to the pressure from our peers to have sex. The novel explores these things in a safe way where readers never have to step outside of their room to experience the downfall of the abuse of alcohol. At worst the readers know exactly what Caulfield is talking about, is having someone you can identify with in a novel the worst thing