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Why Is Catcher In The Rye Still Relevant Today

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The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, is a commentary on the teen aspects of life in the 1950s. While some may say this commentary can’t hold up to today’s ambitious and aspirational teen culture… this is not true. It still has a lot of value to teenagers today. It speaks to teenagers who are different from most and struggle with maturing/growing up. The Catcher in the Rye is still a relatable book to teenagers for many reasons. The Catcher in the Rye is relatable to many teenagers who feel unique or different compared to their peers. In the article, The Catcher in the Rye: The Voice of Alienation, the speaker, Timothy Aubry, says the following about Salinger’s work, “Since 1951 when it was first published, The Catcher in the Rye has …show more content…

However, this is far from true because Holden is still relatable with and because of his flaws. In the article, Get a Life, Holden Caufield, the speaker, Jennifer Schuessler, says the following about teens' views on Holden, “The culture is also more competitive. These days, teenagers seem more interested in getting into Harvard than in flunking out of Pencey Prep” (Schuessler 10). However, Schuessler is wrong because Holden's flunking is a very real fear for many teenagers. Additionally, Holden flunking out represents the fears of many teenagers today while also conveying relatable ideas about school and teen life to teenagers. In the text, Holden is deciding what to do about his flunking out of another school when he thinks to himself, “I didn't want to go home or anything till they got it and thoroughly digested it and all. I didn't want to be around when they first got it” (Salinger 28). Many teenagers can relate to this sentiment of not wanting to return to their parents after messing up. They fear how their parents will react to bad news just like Holden

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“No one knows the value of innocence and integrity but he who has lost them” William Godwin. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger captures three days in the life of a teenage boy after being kicked out of school. It takes place in America post World War II when a major belief in America was conformity. World War II gave way to many people wanting everything to be the same where everyone does the same thing and lives in identical houses just for the sense of security that the war or depression wouldn't take that away again. Instead of liking this, Holden instead feels trapped by the ideals and lost of who he should be.

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