Good literature offers readers more than just an entertaining story, it invites the reader to reflect on their own life experience, their society and their assumptions about the world and re-examine the world around them. The circular novel Catcher in the Rye by J.D.Salinger can be classified as “good literature” because it’s still relevant to our society despite being published in 1951. It’s about a teenager who travels alone around New York City after being expelled from his school. Through the use of universal themes such as hatred of phonies, longing for innocence and romanticising nature, the novel relates to teenagers and people who’re disappointed with their life and questioning the society around them.

Catcher in the Rye was written during Post-war America in 1951. Teenagers were a new social phenomenon and were misunderstood like many in post-war America, they were questioning the society around them and the values dominant in that society such as having a high reputation and maintaining social status. In 1950 the “teen-ager” was first recognized as a developmental period and a social phenomenon. Many people in the era were confused about their sexuality due to this pressure to conform. This is one way the novel can be valued as this relates to Caulfield. When this text was first published there were two initial opposing reactions to the novel. One group believed it introduced a new voice and perspective into American literature and the opposing group saw it as a corrupting force on young people.

The text is still of importance in today’s society as it portrays several issues in our society. Some of these issues are the concealment of truth and the journey into becoming an adult. Many people just overlook these issues in society and ignore it however Caulfield questions these issues and becomes confused. Today critics relate to this text due to the trauma Caulfield’s suffered, his often limited perspective and the text’s representation of masculinity.

The novel Catcher in the Rye is still important to people today because it can relate to the people who’re displeased with their life.  Caulfield is a rebellious and confused teenager who’s not fulfilled living in this world and questions the society around him. Ordinary people will often experience the same dissatisfaction during one or more stages in their life. This questioning is one of the ways we develop an understanding of ourselves and our values. Salinger expresses Caulfield’s dissatisfaction with the world through the repetition of the word “phony”. When Caulfield calls someone “phony” he refers to them as not being completely truthful. He was happy to leave “Pencey Prep” an elite boarding school because he referred to everything there as being “phony”. The principal of “Pencey Prep” treats people differently based on their dress and perceived social class. This happens regularly in his reality and Caulfield describes that kind of behaviour as “phony”. Caulfield is critical, judgmental and prejudiced. He often teases and calls people “phony” due to his insecurity “He was the kind of a phony that have to give themselves room when they answer somebody’s question”, he felt insecure because another gentleman was flirting with “Old Sally”.  Caulfield protects himself through the use of cynicism from the ugliness and disappointment of the adult world. The people who’re displeased with their life can relate to Caulfield’s thoughts and actions, and understand why he has so much anger and hatred for his society. Like many, he’s struggling to find his place in a society that fails to live up to his expectations.

Catcher in the Rye was one of the major factors that contributed into revealing to the world a developmental period between childhood to adulthood the “teen-ager”. The language Caulfield uses is accurate to the point of how a teenager during that time would speak.  Colloquial language and slang is used to intensify the relationship between teenagers and this novel. Excessive swearing and the use of words such as “goddam” help relate to teenagers past and present as every generation develops its own language codes. Caulfield is neither an adult nor a child, he’s a teenager. Modern teenagers can relate to Caulfield’s actions and struggle to understand the world around him which makes Catcher in the Rye still relevant beyond its immediate context. Like Holden, we need to define our own identities and place in society.

Salinger illustrates Caulfield’s view of the world by talking to us directly through the novel using first person narration and giving us explicit details about events. Through the use of juxtaposition and contrast of the innocent ducks with the corrupt city, it is shown that Caulfield is romanticising nature and longing for innocence. Caulfield sees adults as corrupt and “phony” people and doesn’t want to enter adulthood. “The catcher in the rye” symbolizes, Caulfield wanting to save the children from becoming adults.  Caulfield imagines that he’s in the rye next to the cliff. The children are running through the rye and he wants to catch them before they fall off the cliff. This also exaggerates the fact how suddenly children can become adults. He reaches an epiphany when he decides to not go in the museum anymore which symbolised the children never entering adulthood. “When I got to the museum, all of a sudden, I wouldn’t have gone inside for a million bucks.” Caulfield realised that he could never be “the catcher in the rye”, it’s not possible to stop children from growing up, except through death and Caulfield’s struggles stem in part from his ability to cope with Allie’s death.  Everyone who suffers from these depressing periods during their lifetime can relate to Caulfield.

Catcher in the Rye is “good literature” because it’s relevant beyond its immediate context. It also meets the correct criteria for “good literature” by inviting the reader to reflect on their own life experience, their society and their assumptions about the world and re-examine the world around them. Modern Teenagers can relate to this text because the struggles and problems through the developmental period between childhood and adulthood that Caulfield has to face are still present. The modern society can relate to Caulfield’s confusion and dissatisfaction with life despite it being published over 50 years ago.