The Catcher in the Rye

J. D. Salinger’s novel, The Catcher in the Rye is one of the best fictional works of the Twentieth Century. The novel discusses various aspects of teenage life through the author’s main character, Holden Caulfield. Throughout the novel Holden experiences common elements of teenage life such as alienation, nostalgia and depression. He, like many young adults struggles with the transition from adolescence to adulthood finding security in only one part of life, for him it was protecting the innocent. Concepts such as these support various literary strategies within the work such as mythology and teenage culture. Critics have also accepted the novel as a tour de force emphasizing specific aspects as coming of age, Odyssey-like characteristics and the need to defend the innocent. Components such as these support the novel’s timeless excellence and literary appeal. The Catcher in the Rye is Salinger’s magnum opus and by far one of the most influential works of the Twentieth Century providing readers with various universal and personal interpretations to draw them in.