Holden Caulfield was my goddamn literary anithero. Yes, he may now be seen cynically as the voice of angsty and misinterpreting teens everywhere, but damnit, J.D. Salinger is still considered the forefather of modern rebellious youth and alienation. So take THAT Ellis, Pahlanuk, et al. Sure, The Prince and Richard III are high up there on my list of bad boys in books, but man does Holden ring true. Without him, there would be no guideline for our existential angst in high school. There would be no mold by which to compare Max Fischer and his exploits at Rushmore.
That's why it saddens me to hear that legendary author J.D. Salinger passed today.
Sure, I'm not most well read fella out there. My stack is ten books high behind this computer, and I found my copy of "Nine Stories" this afternoon only to peel it open now... but Salinger and his notorious Mr. Caulfield left an impact on me, as it did so many of us in our teens. That's not to call his buildingsroman "Catcher in the Rye" generically applicable. "Catcher" has a social and psychological understanding of adolescence that just hit it. And remember, class and situation is not of concern here. I had lots of pasty white peers in High School call Holden an asshole. Well, duh. Being a teenager sucks, no matter what. Salinger just got it. In one perfect novel.
But that's not to say he hasn't done other fantastic work: "Nine Stories," "Franny and Zooey" his shorts for The New Yorker ... I just have to read them.
Yet, "Catcher" is that important, impacting, and embraced by popular culture. Salinger will be remembered for his contributions.
Share your thoughts on Salinger or Holden in the comments.
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