Scott West’s Reviews > The Catcher in the Rye > Status Update

The PTSD is palpable during these meandering adventures killing time away from the hated school where a new failure seems to be beckoning around the corner. Holden is struggling to have an earnest conversation with anyone, seemingly distant from his family, friends and society. I can’t decide if his attitude is recalcitrant or misanthropic. While the exploration of anxiety is interesting, events are too meandering.

Scared of women since his mom sent him away and his poor relationship with his sister, scared of applying himself due to his lack of purpose scared to form connections with others since his parents have abandoned him. Rather than seeing him as a rebellious teen I have a lot more pity on him as his misadventures have gone on.

Seeing this novel through the prism of mental health trouble illuminates the story and makes Holden far less impudent and more relatable. He is deeply insecure about his place in the world due to his troubles at school and with his family, so he is scared.

Witty, articulate, facetious and downright hilarious, Holden engaging in repartee with Morrow’s mother is hilarious. He reminds me of myself when I was in high school trying to cause trouble. The vulgar vernacular truly starts to pay dividends at this point, allowing you to relate to Holden as a blue-collar honest, relatable bloke. The sort of literary protagonist lacking in regular fiction or la la land.

My vocabulary has decreased by 10% reading this. Feels like a 15 year old writer. Holden is one of the most obnoxious protagonists I have come across in literature. Irreverent and recalcitrant towards everything related to school. I am a reader who is a nerd at heart, don’t tell me to hate school. I feel this would be appealing to someone who wants a somewhat humorous and vulgar novel. So far not my sort of read.