The Catcher in the Rye

A Reader’s Guide to The Catcher in the Rye Though J.D. Salinger’s book, The Catcher in the Rye, has served as a major controversial element of fiction within our reading society, it does, in fact, contain another side to the story. Holden Caulfield, who is sixteen, has just flunked out of another boarding school that his parents have sent him to. It seems that he has become very experienced in failing courses. …

…is just simply searching for what makes him happy in life. However, he just seems to be looking at things from the wrong side. He tends to see only the disadvantages of things when he could really turn them around and enjoy a whole new perspective. It is within this element that the reader stays involved. All humans can relate to this; because, just like Holden, we are all in that search, too, for happiness.