If
you have ever lied to a stranger in train, bus or flight or just twisted your
truth a little in order to avoid a banal conversation taking an uncomfortable
or unwanted turn.. Because you thought they wouldn't understand anyway......
then The catcher in the Rye is
a book you cannot afford to miss.
Holden
Caulfield is a young pr-
Holden
feels alienated and confused at the way world around him is constructed, convoluted;
he seeks refuge in children younger to him. It is clear throughout the
narrative that for him, adults are corrupted and only purity lies with
children.
The entire
book’s story takes place within a span of just four days, and yet so minutely
has the author taken us through those four days that by the time we end the
book it seems we have known Holden, Phoebe, DB, Ally, Ackely, Stradlater, jane
and Mr. Antolini for years.
Another
very striking feature of this book is that somehow, character of Holden,
despite all its limitations as an individual, inspires a lot of sympathy in
minds of readers. So far as confused yet compassionate and adorable
protagonists are concerned, Holden from the Catcher in the rye is probably at
par with Hamlet.... perhaps Holdens of the world outnumber Hamlets by fair
margin.
The
fact that he is suffering from some sort of mental imbalance, which is visible
through conduct and opinions but intractable medicinally, perhaps makes readers
relate with him, because secretly it reflects some of our own deepest conflicts
and complex dilemmas.
The
other prominent theme of this novel is constructed by Holden’s attitude towards
sex. More than half of the story, he tries to lose his virginity, in fact more
than once he comes closer to it however fails to make the cut in the end. He later takes solace in the banal expression,
repeated countless times in the novel “one has to be in right mood” for such
things! He is unable to hold two conflicting ideas that revolve around
sexuality – one that of romantic love that is built on care and respect and the
other involving kinky fantasies for one’s partner. Little does the Holden know
at the time, perhaps, that this was merely starting of a life-long dilemma we
all face as adults!!
Bitterness
that Holden has towards the rest of the world is in part really the bitterness
he feels for his advancing age, moving life and its fickleness. His frantic search for permanence is not only childish;
it is also misplaced – miserably. And this gives a rather cantankerous and
immature character a tragic touch which is a hallmark of adult lives.
The
book stands out for its impeccable narrative, compact storyline and powerful
characters. Some other most powerful events, such as the record bought by
Holden for Phoebe, his deceased brother Ally’s baseball glove with lots of
poems written on it, suicide of one of his schoolmates, visit to museum and Holden’s
opinion for his elder brother DB add a classic sub-plot to the entire story and
keeps readers engaged.
The
fact that Holden HOLDs on to his childhood even while the world around him is
trying to grow him into an adult brings out a fascinating story which is highly
recommended reading for anyone interested to understand oneself a little
better!!
