Blog #48: The Catcher in the Rye

Throughout the book, I wondered where Holden was writing The Catcher and the Rye from. Someone told me that he was in some kind of mental hospital, and I find that very bizarre. I really do not understand why he would be in a mental hospital. In my opinion and my perfect ending, he would be at a new school excelling and writing this book for one of his English classes. He would have a great relationship with his family. He would have tons of friends, even some from Pencey. He is also dating Jane. Oh and Stradlater never did have sex with her. I just like thinking about the things that are never really said, like the unknown. I want to know all of the underlining facts. Maybe Holden is in a mental hospital because he went crazy on his family, or maybe he just could not handle the phoniness of the world. So when reading The Catcher in the Rye, you are led to believe that Holden really found himself while roaming the streets of New York City. This could be totally wrong. He might have found himself while he was in the mental hospital, and realized everything that he really had. Who really knows? I think that is why Salinger did that. He wanted to leave something to the imagination. I can really appreciate that from an author. It gives me room to think, and put my own opinions into the story. I also think that Holden probably became something later on in life like a teacher. Or maybe he became a police officer, or doctor. I think he became something that helped out people. The teacher makes the most sense for me because he was helping out the children. He was protecting them! I really do not know where Holden wrote this story, but wherever it was, it definitely helped him find himself even more in my opinion. I really hope the mental hospital thing was wrong, and he is writing this from a classroom at a new school!

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