The Catcher in the Rye

Another reason why the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger would be the timeless characters. The story is told from the point of view of sixteen year old Holden Caulfield. Because it is written in first person, the reader is opened up to the thoughts going on in his head, as well as the dialogue and story of other characters. Holden is your typical teenaged boy. He likes to use curse words, could not care less about his education, is obsessed with girls, and truly believes that he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Holden does not always have the best attitude. I think it is simply because he is angsty, but sometimes he is quick to judge people. The reader may notice that while Holden has so much going on in his head, he does not say much of it out loud. He comes off as being outspoken because of his attitude and thoughts of people, but really it is all in his head. While Holden is sitting in some bar where there are many people, he always seems to choose somewhere a little secluded so he can watch all of the people, but also stay by himself. He only interacts with people when he wants to. Somehow, someway, these traits of Holden Caulfield make him an easy character to read about. It seems like the reader would get annoyed with his judgments and naïve thoughts, but it makes him seem more like a real person. I honestly think that that is why The Catcher in the Rye is still such a popular classic. The author makes the reader feel like they have some sort of personal connection to Holden, as if he were speaking directly to them. Holden is also extremely honest, which is usually a very much appreciated characteristic of someone. He somehow finds a way to be ignorant and outspoken at times, but always manages to stay a charming character. He really is the average teenage boy: complicated and full of problems.