Green Day - Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?

Lyrics:

A thought burst in my head and I need to tell you
It's news that I for thought
Was it just a dream that happened long ago?
I think that I just forgot

Well it hasn't been the first time
And it sure does drive me mad

There's a boy who fogs his world and now he's getting lazy
There's no motivation and frustration makes him crazy
He makes a plan to take a stand but always ends up sitting.
Someone help him up or he's gonna end up quitting

I shuffle through my mind
To see if I can find
The words I left behind
Was it just a dream that happened long ago?
Oh well...
Never mind.

Well it hasn't been the first time
And it sure does drive me mad

There's a boy who fogs his world and now he's getting lazy
There's no motivation and frustration makes him crazy
He makes a plan to take a stand but always ends up sitting.
Someone help him up or he's gonna end up quitting

There's a boy who fogs his world and now he's getting lazy
There's no motivation and frustration makes him crazy
He makes a plan to take a stand but always ends up sitting.
Someone help him up or he's gonna end up quitting

There's a boy who fogs his world and now he's getting lazy
There's no motivation and frustration makes him crazy
He makes a plan to take a stand but always ends up sitting.
Someone help him up or he's gonna end up quitting

Crash Course on "The Catcher in the Rye" by John Green

Review of "The Catcher in the Rye," #2

This book follows a few days in the life of a boy. Holden Caulfield: seventeen, pupil (or rather ex-pupil) of Pencey Prep, Agertown, Pennsylvania, and alienated kid. Holden has recently received the news that he has been expelled from Pencey, where he feels just as lonely as he has in every other school he's been kicked out of. He's so lonely, in fact, that he even spends free time with his fellow boarders – who he often hates – just to avoid spending a Saturday night by himself.

This book is sometimes easy to relate to but sometimes a little depressing. At times it seems that Holden's luck will never get any better. It felt like I was reading a book with the potential to be brilliant but lacking a really good story. It has to be said that the characters immediately hook you and the things that happen to Holden are undoubtedly interesting, but it feels at times like it doesn't go the way you want it to – which left me feeling that it lacked a certain something.

Frustrated and depressed, a fight that leads to a bloody injury leaves Holden at breaking point. What better to do than escape his last unhappy days at Pencey and run away to New York? Across three days Holden makes decisions, recalls significant figures from his past and fights against a looming feeling of isolation…

There were places I wanted the story to go and characters mentioned who I thought I was going to meet, so the story almost felt like it needed to continue into a different book. You do get to like Holden and feel quite close to him – a huge plus side – but it is a shame the novel has such an unsatisfying end. The Catcher in the Rye is like nothing you will have read before. It has a mysteriously appealing quality that I loved, but I couldn't recommend this book with the words, 'You have to read this', because it is likely that it will disappoint as a story.

Overall I would say that this teen and adult book is a sort of expression of emotion rather than a directly entertaining book, because it doesn't resolve itself like the normal book you would read for pleasure. However, I did enjoy it and I think that it is interesting in itself. Read it for this kind of experience – so you can make up your own mind on the 50s bestseller – but perhaps not if you want something guaranteed to satisfy…

http://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/feb/19/review-jd-salinger-catcher-in-rye

Review of "The Catcher in the Rye" #1

Let's just say that this book is certainly one open to a lot of controversy and debate, yet that is what makes it such an interesting read.

The Catcher in the Rye certainly wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, however find it an exciting and compelling read, with a gallon of brutal reality poured in along with some humour, contrasting with moments of depression.

Despite being written in 1951, I think many teenagers would be able to relate to the various themes present in the book. It is a modern classic of the coming of age genre. I find the main character, 17-year-old Holden Caulfield, absolutely intriguing and as I read the book, it was fascinating to get inside the head of the strange, rebellious protagonist.

The book begins with Holden directly addressing you, the reader, and he begins to retell the events over a three day period from last December. His story starts at Pencey Prep, a prestigious boarding school filled with "phonies", as Holden likes to call them.

What strikes me the most is the way Salinger creates the a brash atmosphere from the very beginning of the book with Holden being portrayed as insolent, lazy and quite frankly, completely clueless about his future.

Almost all of the story is one long flashback of this three day period with occasional references to the present. One thing that sets The Catcher in the Rye apart from other similar novels, I think, is the fairly frequent use of profanity - be warned! The heavy use of colloquialism is effective in making the reader relate to the characters better and make the characters seem realistic, but on the other hand, if you're under fourteen, I would certainly not recommend the novel to you! It isn't only the language used that makes The Catcher in the Rye unsuitable for younger readers, but also the themes discussed, centred around the idea of morality.

J.D. Salinger's novel is a wake-up call to all teenagers and in a sense, is an inspiring read because it sends out the message that we should all remain hopeful and true to ourselves. Teenagers can relate to it because of its complex themes of rebellion, identity and independence but I would recommend you read it before you're an adult otherwise you may have the urge to slap Holden for his actions when reading the book!

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jun/21/review-salinger-catcher-rye

About the author

Jerome David Salinger, author of "The Catcher in the Rye." was born in New York on January 1st 1919, son of Sol Salinger and Miriam Salinger. Salinger attended Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania after previously failing at the McBurney School in New York. Salinger then studied at Ursinus College and New York University. Salinger published his first story at the age of 21 with the help of good friend Whit Burnett. Just when Salinger's career as a writer started, World War II broke out and he had to serve in the army. During Salinger's time in the army, he began to create his novel, "The Catcher in the Rye." After the war, Salinger was involved with 4 different women, 3 of which he married, and one of which he had 2 children with. In 1951, Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye" was published and was very popular. He was showered with praise as well as criticisms about his book. The book has sold over 120 million copies and is considered a classic in English Literature.

The Catcher in the Rye Trailer 

Synopsis

J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield recounts the days following his expulsion from Pencey Prep, a private school. After a fight with his roommate, Stradlater, Holden leaves school two days early to explore New York before returning home, interacting with teachers, prostitutes, nuns, an old girlfriend, and his sister along the way. J.D. Salinger's classic The Catcher in the Rye illustrates a teenager's dramatic struggle against death and growing up.

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/c/the-catcher-in-the-rye/the-catcher-in-the-rye-at-a-glance