We're not supposed to speak ill of the dead, so I'll just say I'm thankful I managed to escape any English teacher intent on inflicting Catcher on the Rye on her students. But there's no denying the impact of J.D. Salinger's semi-autobiographical novel, which has sold 60 million copies, on the American consciousness in the first two decades after its publication. Publishers expect a surge in new sales after his death Wednesday at 91.
Soon after the novel was published in 1951, Salinger went into seclusion, where he remained the rest of his life. He never published another novel, although he did publish a collection of short stories.
Catcher was hailed for its authenticity, spawning many imitations. It is anything but. The novel is thick with the pretentious tone that marked too many novels of the mid 20th century.
You can decide for yourself. Here are some popular quotes from Catcher (note the frequent use of the first person pronoun — 20 times in 10 quotes):
"I'm sick of just liking people. I wish to God I could meet somebody I could respect."
"Grand. There's a word I really hate. It's a phony. I could puke every time I hear it."
“It was a very stupid thing to do, I'll admit, but I hardly didn't even know I was doing it.”
“I'm quite illiterate, but I read a lot.”
“I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy.”
“I'm sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody.”
“I don't exactly know what I mean by that, but I mean it.”
“I'm just going through a phase right now. Everybody goes through phases and all, don't they?”
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Cather in the Rye pretentious? Yes. But if not for Salinger, think of the important works, which you might also call pretentious, that may have never seen the light of day: Catch-22, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, On the Road,Slaughter House 5, Breakfast of Champions ... . Salinger created a style that crossed many genres, and he should be revered for being ahead of his time.
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