Article Critique

Although this critic seems to be an obvious fan of “Catcher in the Rye” I have to question some of the reasoning behind it. Take the way she described the message of the book for example. It states:

“Salinger, of course, cannot be held accountable for misreadings of his novel any more than he ought to be bashed for writing about prep school anxieties as opposed to the great themes of love and war.”

Based on this alone, its safe to assume that this critic had an obvious bias towards the book. I however, believe that J.D. Salinger knew exactly how people would react, and in fact aimed for such a reaction. On the contrary, I do agree with the fact that Salinger should not be criticized for veering from the norm of literary paths. I too feel as the critic does in the mere fact that Salinger ought to be commended for conquering such a feat instead of being banned from classrooms around the country.

This critic also did an excellent job of pointing out the obvious; other writers besides Salinger have also written about the trials of life, however none have done it quite like him. This leads me to wonder why and how Salinger managed to stick out above the rest. Some say it was his use of profanity, or possible even his frequent references to sex that gave him his uniqueness. In my eyes, Salinger has managed to pass the test of time by being brutally and crudely honest. I feel it is because of his honesty that people of all ages have taken notice and felt inclined to absorb and analyze Salinger’s views.