Blog #42: The Catcher in the Rye

The setting for The Catcher in the Rye was in New York City. I think this is the perfect place for this book! It really goes well with Holden. New York City is the city “that never sleeps.” It really seemed that Holden never slept. He was constantly moving and going places. I love the big city atmosphere. There is never a dull moment. You rarely see the same person walking down the street twice in one day. It is just so enormous that you never know just who or what you will run into. The city is constantly changing. It kind reminds me of Holden. He was always changing throughout the novel. He gained new experiences and met new people. New York City goes through different changes everyday, and definitely meets new people everyday. It really never does sleep. Something is constantly going on, just like in Holden’s life. There is always new things going on in New York, and Holden is finding out those new things along with the city. I feel that Holden is gaining all of these new experiences but he really does not absorb them. That is just like New York City. There are always so many things going on that nothing is ever really absorbed and thought through. I like how in The Catcher in the Rye you really get to go through all of the city along with Holden. He never really stays in the same place, so you are constantly moving with him. He kind of made me feel like I was with him. I really enjoyed it! The setting of New York City was the probably the best possible setting for The Catcher in the Rye. It really goes right along with Holden. The city is constantly changing, as is Holden Caulfield right along with it. I think that the setting is also more intriguing because I have been there and I can picture the places that Holden is talking about.

Salinger, J. D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Back Bay, 2001. Print.