Analysis Of The Banning Of The Catcher In The Rye

J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, is one of the most controversial books ever written. The book has been banned in many places, while at the same time being viewed as an American classic. There is a great deal of controversy on banning the book in schools across America, due to it’s content. The story follows a mentally ill teen, Holden Caulfield, delving into his thoughts and feelings. The Catcher in the Rye should be banned for its many controversial views and topics, including the use of vulgar language, illegal activities, it’s association with assassinations and its suicidal content. The Catcher in the Rye should be banned for its overuse of vulgar language. Throughout the novel Salinger was not shy about employing profanity.†¦show more content†¦Readers can see this when he goes to Ernie’s in chapter twelve; Holden tells his waiter, â€Å"I cant sit in a corny place like this cold sober. Cantcha stick a little rum in it or something? (Salinger 78). Later in the novel, Holden is still exhibiting this destructive behavior. After his meeting with Luce in chapter nineteen, he states, â€Å"I kept sitting there getting drunk† (Salinger 165). This illegal content sets poor example on impressionable teens. Smoking is a go to for Holden as well; whenever Holden is in an uncomfortable situation he automatically reaches for a cigarette. Once again Holden is also under the legal smoking age. The novel takes place over three days and within that time period Holden smokes well over a pack of cigarettes. â€Å"Finally, I got up and went out in the living room and got some cigarettes out of the box on the table and stuck some in my pocket. I was all out (Salinger 183). This once again glorifies illegal activity in the novel and sets a bad example. Prostitution is also present in the novel. In chapter thirteen Holden feels lonelier than usual, so he hires a prostitute. This proves that sex is prevalent throughout the novel. Holden even calls himself â€Å"the biggest sex maniac you ever saw† (Salinger 70). The inappropriateness of this subject is another reason teens should not be able to read this novel. The Catcher in the Rye should be banned for the many instances of illegal activities throughout the novel. TheShow MoreRelatedEssay about We Should NOT Censor Internet Pornography1331 Words   |  6 Pagestransformed into nothing more than a childrens reading room, where only material suitable for minors could be viewed and discussed, since the bill would have made books such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Catcher in the Rye illegal in electric form5. Banning books solely because they are in electronic form is a direct infringement on every Americans First Amendment rights. If the Act were ruled constitutional, adults would find no educational value in using this new medium thatRead More Censorship in the Classroom Essay2774 Words   |  12 PagesAdventures of Huckleber ry Finn by Mark Twain The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain My House by Nikki Giovanni    Written by a Russian: Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky    Rebellion to Parental Authority: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck SEX In general: The New Teenage Body Book by Kathy McCoy and Charles Wibbelsman Our Bodies Ourselves Edited by the Boston Womens Health Collective    Explicit