The Catcher in the Rye is an intriguing novel involving the life of a troubled boy named Holden Caufield. The book is written as though Holden is telling the reader his life story. The reader will be able to come to the sad conclusion that Holden is in a mental hospital or institution. He tells, detail by detail, the events which lead to his breakdown. Holden leads the reader through his trying and troubled teen-age years. One will begin to sympathize with him and end up feeling sorry for him since he has had such a difficult time with almost every situation. Having a pessimistic attitude toward life, he never learns how to enjoy life or absorb some of the good that life has to offer.

The Catcher in the Rye, in my opinion, is a book which can enable the reader to achieve a better understanding of our harsh society and what impact it can have on a teen-ager. This is an interesting, easy-to-follow novel and I recommend it as a book that teen-agers can possibly relate to. n

Review by Emily Narsasian, Arlington