

Rob Thurman: Nevermore Gretchen Rubin: Better than Before. (Allie died of leukemia years prior.) Stradlater does not like the essay, and refuses to tell Holden whether he and his date had sex. So in lieu of an actual review of Catcher in the Rye, which you might not get anyway as I might have lost the will to live, here is a list of the books that I have read when I should have been reading JD Salinger. Holden writes the essay about his late brother Allie's baseball glove.

His roommate, Stradlater, wants Holden to write an essay for him so that he can go on a date.

He has been expelled after failing most of his classes. The novel begins with the narrator, Holden Caulfield, describing his experience as a student at Pencey Prep. Salinger donated the story to Princeton University on the condition it not be published until 50 years after his death-the year 2060. Salinger wrote a prequel ( The Ocean Full of Bowling Balls) that tells the story of Holden's brother's death. Characters: Holden Caulfield, Phoebe Caulfield, Ackley, Stradlater, Allie Caulfield.Holden’s decision changes things a lot as he abruptly left his school in the middle of the night, with nowhere to go as he didn’t want his parent’s to know about his expulsion yet. Holden packed his bags, sold his typewriter to a friend for some extra money, and left. Holden reveals that his mother,”gets very hysterical,” but that, “she’s not too bad after she gets something thoroughly digested.” The use of a metaphor in these lines displays how Holden’s mother’s initial reaction to things is a bit over the top, but after she thinks about the situation for a while she is much calmer and reasonable. Holden doesn’t seem to really fit in or be happy at Pencey, which probably influenced him when he decided to leave as soon as possible. All of a sudden, I decided what I’d really do, I’d get the hell out of Pencey,” stresses the idea that Holden really doesn’t like the school he is at, which includes not only the work, but also the people. The use of repetition in the lines, “All of a sudden, I changed my mind. Any language used - and it is chock full of mild to moderate swearing, and 'f-k' is used several times - is in the service of being true to the nature of a rebellious teen. You’re a gentlemen and a scholar, kid.” Holden tells the reader more about Stradlater, saying that he had intercourse with girls all the time, and that Holden didn’t trust him with girls that he knew and liked. Parents need to know that this book remains one of the best books about adolescence ever written. After asking if he can sleep in Ackley’s roommates bed, he tells Ackley, “You’re a real prince. Holden finds himself in Ackley’s room after his fight with Stradlater.
