Banned Book: The Catcher in the Rye

The freedom of expression is an extension of the freedom of speech. When books are banned, this is an infringement on the right to free expression. One of the books, which has been challenged the most, is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. The Catcher in the Rye has been challenged multiple times and is third on the list of most challenged books. Many people have wondered why The Catcher in the Rye is challenged and if it should really be banned.

The Catcher in the Rye is a book which includes reflections of Holden Caulfield's, the main character, life. The book follows Holden on a three day rebellious trip, following his exodus of a boarding school he was attending. During his trip, Holden reflects on events which have impacted him. The book offers an insight to the turmoil that most teenagers may deal with at one time or another, but it is still one of the most challenged books in history.

One of the major reasons The Catcher in the Rye is banned in from some school libraries is because of the sexual content and offensive language used. The sexual content is not explicit in nature, but parents are opposed to the book being a part of the curriculum for high school students. Holden thinks, talks, and worries about sex frequently in the book and even believes his friends are sexually active. This is typical behavior of an average teenage boy. The sexual content in the book cannot be any worse than what teenagers are seeing on television shows and in music videos.

The offensive language in The Catcher in the Rye is not as dominant as one might think. Of course, no parent wants their child being subjected to obscene language, especially in the classroom, but the language is not something the teenagers have not heard before. The language is mild and moderate. There are 224 instances where obscene language has been used in the book, with a few occurrences being the "F-word." This use of obscene language should not allow a book to be banned, especially since most of the words in the book have become everyday words for many people in our society.

There is some very mild violence in The Catcher in the Rye. Holden is punched a couple of times. In addition to Holden being attacked, there are two references to suicide in the book. One reference occurs when Holden over hears a man talking about how someone tried to commit suicide by taking aspirin. Another reference occurs when Holden speaks about a boy who jumped out of a window as a way to commit suicide.

There are other reasons The Catcher in the Rye is challenged so frequently. One of the reasons is because many of the characters in the book are drinking cocktails and smoking. Parents often find this book to be very impressionable on their teenagers, by promoting drinking and tobacco use. The social behavior of Holden is very unappealing to parents who challenge the book. Holden is basically having a nervous breakdown and is a frequent liar. Some believe Holden's behavior in The Catcher in the Rye is too extreme and may influence their teenagers to act in certain ways.

The Catcher in the Rye should not be seen as a book full of negative ideas being fed to teenagers, but should be a chance for teenagers to identify themselves with a literary character. This writer read The Catcher in the Rye in high school and found many aspects of Holden's life could be applied to this writer's life at the moment. The Catcher in the Rye offers insight into the world of adolescents and how teenagers tend to cope with the realization of entering the "phony" world of adulthood. Of course, Holden chooses to deal with his coping in bizarre ways, but teenagers, today, should be given more credit for being able to distinguish acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

The Catcher in the Rye has an underlying theme of "loss of innocence." Holden believes once teenagers make the transition to the phoniness of adulthood, their innocence is lost completely. Holden makes it his mission as "the catcher in the rye" to protect children from the corrupt world of adulthood. He often lashes out when he believes someone is not protecting his or her "innocence."

The Catcher in the Rye should not be banned because it is one of the greatest books written. The Catcher in the Rye gives teenagers a person in literature with whom they can connect. There are life lessons to be learned from The Catcher in the Rye. To ban a great literary work like this is to keep teenagers sheltered from the truth of the "real world."