The Catcher in the Rye

I just finished reading The Catcher in the Rye. This was my favorite book of the three books that we had to read this summer. I found that it was easy to read and the pages just flew by. I enjoyed the story a lot. But, I didn't think it was really that entertaining. There wasn't really one main problem but more like several small problems happening to the main character, Holden Caulfield. I also found it kind of hard to understand. Holden mentioned at the beginning and the end of the story that was somewhere for an unknown reason and was waiting to get out. But, the author, Salinger, never told the readers exactly where Holden was. I had a feeling he was in a mental institution of some sort but it was hard to tell. The way it was explained he might have been in jail, too. This wouldn't be surprising for how Holden acts I could see him ending up in jail. I also enjoyed this book because the author kept referring to other people he mentioned early in the story. But, he would give the person a brief description when he mentioned them in case you forgot who they were. I liked that because in most books the author does not do that and i have to read a while not knowing who the character is until some hint reveals itself. "And how he went to all that trouble giving me that advice about finding out the size of your mind and all, and how he was the only guy that'd even gone near that boy James Castle I told you about when you was dead." (Salinger 253) That was an example on how Salinger reminded you who all the characters are. He did that throughout the story and I liked it. Overall, I really did enjoy this book even though I had a few problems with the story. But, I thought it was a lot better than the other two books I read this summer.