Catcher in the Rye

This is not a book review. Dont think it is within the realm of possibility (and my capability) to review the book I want to talk about, or its author for that matter. How do you review a book which makes you feel like this could be you? This was you, for most of the part, but you never quite said it like so. Or realised it quite that way.

Its not that I always felt that way though.

One confession. When I first made my acquaintance with the book (which does not necessarily mean I read it, because I didnt) was at the age of 15. Love, or just the idea of love, had filled my soul, and warped my mind as it were, and I was not in the least inclined towards a book whose author didnt even have his grammar right, whose protagonist was not the man of my dreams or the girl I wanted to be (or thought I was!) and which was recommended by my English teacher. Could have handled the grammar and Holden Caulfield. But, to read a book recommended in class meant that it had a strong association with school, and that put me off this book for a decade almost.

And it was just a couple of years back that I gave it another chance. And then another, and another. Made up for lost time, as it were. Because it "killed me".

Ive tried, and so often, to understand why. What makes this book so universally acceptable? Its not a conventional book, about a boy who went to school, polished the apple, became head boy, went to Harvard and generally did the right things. On the contrary, to be honest. This boy does not want to go to school, he rebels against the system, in school and in life, and all he wants to do is, his own thing. Which is not to become a doctor, engineer or even an accountant. No siree. No respectable profession for the lad.

I think its time I made another confession. I couldnt quite figure out that little couplet about the catcher in the rye for a bit. Does that happen to many of you? Any of you? Do tell if it does, it would help my pride a mite! Well, the part I missed out is, that Im still not completely sure, and would love it if anybody could write in on this?

Education has not been a complete waste for me. Not yet, in any case. Looking good, it all is. All concerned are suitable proud, and I may yet be redeemed from my unenviable position as the black sheep of the family. One lives in hope.

But there was a time (which I will admit was a good time) when I stepped away ( possibly was compelled to) from the real world as it were, and did something which I can cheerfully do for the rest of my life. My own thing. Read, write, cook, talk, sleep, dream of places that I want to visit, live in. Those were some glorious months. And, that was when I re-read Catcher. Every sentence, sentiment, feeling seemed to be about me. You know how it is when you read a book, in a particularly state of mind and life, and if it correlates strongly enough, you get possessive about the book? For a period anyway. And thats how I got. It was my book, about me. Holden Caulfield was the guy I could relate to. I cried for Allie. Phoebe made me smile. Sally Hayes was a moron. But, hey, whatever happened to Jane Gallagher?

Any way, that was when I re-read Catcher. Which reminds me, have you guys seen Dead Poet Society? But, somehow, this book always reminds me of this movie, and it goes beyond the school backdrop. Maybe its just that both of these stories are so intensely identifiable and daring, that they touch you in similar ways, so they seem to be similar but are really not.

This one has been told by a guy whose writing can make a wannabe out of the best of us. Each time I read The Catcher in the Rye, I get stuck at one point. And spend a while musing over what he says. "What really knocks me out is a book, that when youre done reading it, you wish the author was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it". Mr. J.D.Salinger makes me want to call him up. He does.