Revisiting Holden Caulfield

J.D. Salinger died a little over a month ago, January 27, 2010. His claim to fame is that he wrote the famous book THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. “Claim to fame” Hah! That is a good one. He resented his claim to fame. He resented being the center of attention. He hated giving interviews, autograph hounds, the paparazzi, and just about anybody else prying into his business. He became a recluse in Cornish, New Hampshire.

I read THE CATCHER IN THE RYE years ago when I was in the Navy. What inspired me to read it was that in was banned in so many places. Any place that had book-burning reputation banned the book.

When I heard Salinger had died I thought of his book. I remembered it was about a prep school boarding school kid, named Holden Caulfied, that was pretty much fed up with pretentious and phonies. Other than that I had no collection of what it was about. Sometimes my retention ability is about as sure as grabbing a fist-full of wind.

I decided to re-read it.

It took me several weeks to re-read it, now while I can still remember it all, let me give you a brief summary what is was about: I remembered it was about a prep school boarding school kid, named Holden Caulfield, that was pretty much fed up with pretentious and phonies.

Holden was tall for his age and impersonated an adult in New York bars. He pretty much thought almost all people were either pretentious, phony, and/or stupid and didn’t trust them. His younger sister Phoebe was the exception. He respected her. He felt she was honest, smart, and he could trust her. “Old Phoebe” is what he silently called her.

By the way, that is where the title comes up, Phoebe and Holden discuss a poem Robert Burns which a similar phrase is mentioned which Holden twists it to be Catcher in the Rye.

One time he sees the word FUCK scrawled on a school house wall, and hate that it is there, knowing Old Phoebe will see it. Another time, a previous male teacher/adviser made a pass at him. All through the book he shows signs of resenting authority.

I think someplace in the above paragraph explains why the book was banned.

I think Holden Caulfield is/was J.D. Salinger, or visa-versa.

He wrote other things, short stories, and others that just didn’t hit it like THE CATCHER IN THE RYE. I remember reading FANNY AND ZOOEY and the only thing I retained was the cover was yellow.

After Salinger became a recluse in New Hampshire he continued writing. It has been said that there are unpublished manuscripts all over his house. It also has been reported that he said something to the effect that the “Public doesn’t deserve to read his writings.”

I bet now, his nearest relative, is arranging those unpublished manuscripts to be published. Now, we deserve them.

And of course, the closest relative deserves the royalties.