the catcher in the rye.

My favourite book in the world is The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. If you want to read a really good book, read this one. I just love it.

The novel covers three days in the life of Holden Caulfield, a tall, skinny, anxious and depressed teenager who academically flunked out of Pencey Prep, a boarding school.

Holden is 17 when he tells the story; he was 16 when the events occurred. Holden’s story begins on the last day of the school year. He is standing on the crest of a hill that overlooks the football field where the final game of the season is being played. Instead of joining the crowd, he runs across the street to the residence of Mr. Spencer, his history teacher.

As Holden has been expelled, Mr. Spencer lectures him about the importance of hard work and education. Annoyed, Holden lies to get out of the discussion. He talks with old acquaintances at school and gets into a fight with his roommate before leaving for New York City, electing to stay there. He considers hitchhiking out west and building a cabin away from everyone he knows. At one point, he propositions an ex-girlfriend to join him on the trip even though he does not particularly like her. She declines his offer, suggesting that it is impractical.

The next day, Holden’s younger sister Phoebe tells him that she is going to leave with him. He angrily refuses, at which point she cries and refuses to speak to him. Knowing that she will follow him, Holden walks to the zoo, letting her anger dissipate.

Phoebe starts talking to Holden again, and Holden promises to forget about his plan to run away and return home on Wednesday. He buys her a ticket for the carousel in the park and watches her ride an old horse on it. As Holden watches her ride the carousel, his own mood lifts. Soon he is nearly moved to tears with remorse, longing, and bittersweet happiness.

At the end of his narration, Holden explains that he will be going to another school in the fall again but does not know for sure if he will start applying himself.