Alcohol, Violence, and Sex Content in Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Alcohol
Violence
Sex
Conclusion

Introduction

People are always under the influence of various external factors that affect not only their lives but also characters, including the way they behave, perceive the information, and think. Books are one of the most powerful sources of such effects. They may serve as guidelines for individuals to improve their current condition and achieve more or turn into milestones after which they lose themselves, become frustrated, aggressive, and detached.

Sometimes, the age of readers plays the most critical role. For example, The Catcher in the Rye is a book that appeals to the majority of adults while the representatives of the younger generation often turn out to be not able to come to the right conclusion. This book should not be read by children and adolescents because it is full of drinking scenes, violent events, and sex context.

Alcohol

The first reason students should not read The Catcher in the Rye until they grow up is that the main character, Holden Caulfield, is drinking alcoholic beverages even though he is a teenager. The boy can easily access alcohol when he needs it, which is not normal. Holden solves the majority of the problems that make him feel depressed getting drunk. Some people say that such scenes represent him as a pathetic person and make the readers realize that it is not the best solution. Still, substance abuse is a critical issue faced by today’s society. The information that is available to the children should focus on the negative side of alcohol drinking to improve this situation instead of provoking them.

Violence

Another reason not to include The Catcher in the Rye in the school curriculum is the presence of violence in the text. The boy was beaten twice during the book. At first, he confronted with another teenager but later with an adult. Thus, it seems that fighting is one more way of problem resolution appropriate for people of all ages promoted by this novel. However, they say that in this way the author wanted to emphasize the fact that Holden was treated unfairly and justify his behavior. Such an idea may be true, but violence in the book can make children more aggressive, as they tend to imitate characters.

Sex

Finally, The Catcher in the Rye is not appropriate for children and adolescents because it includes the theme of sex. The main character often talks about it and even pays for a prostitute to come to his room. Almost in every chapter, the boy discusses the event when someone did something to a girl, and he is constantly looking for one to communicate with. Holden also describes his own sex life when chatting with a friend. Of course, sex is not a topic that is forbidden today, and it is commonly discussed in mass media.

Still, the fact that children and adolescents should know about sex does not mean that they should be encouraged to follow Holden’s example, the rates of teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS increased greatly in the recent years.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be seen that The Catcher in the Rye is not the best novel for those who are not adults yet, as their minds are still vulnerable. Alcohol abuse, violence, and sex are those topics that should be eliminated from the children’s curriculum not to spur them into acting as characters of the book. A current situation in the world and the country is rather adverse in the discussed framework, so it is better to protect the younger generation from the negative influences.

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Alcohol, Violence, and Sex Content in Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye”

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